Thunderstorms and Sakura Blossoms
by Lady Silq Ice
Summary: The final battle leaves little behind, how are two souls to recover from such loss? WARNING Character deaths and lemons. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The massive boomerang cut a deadly arc through the cloud of youkai before hurtling back to its owner, The force of catching the spinning weapon sent the demon-slayer sliding backward almost a foot, her booted feet carved a small trail in the dirt. Fatigue was setting in hard as the initial adrenaline faded and she staggered to one knee, surveying the battlefield with bleary eyes. A hollow echo rang through the exterminator's mind... They were losing.

The final battle with Naraku had arrived; the hanyou had collected all the shards save the few the little miko possessed and the small shard in Sango's brothers back. The shards the wolf demon Kouga had possessed Naraku had brutally taken; injuring the wolf in such a way that everyone wasn't sure he would ever walk again. Then there was Kohaku. The thought of her brother made the slayer cringe and almost miss the demon attacking from her left flank. After dispatching it with more effort than should have taken, Sango frantically searched the field for her friends.

InuYasha battled Kagura, the wind demon toward the center of the battlefield. Kagura looked tired, but InuYasha was so covered in cuts and blood that you couldn't tell the difference between where the blood ended and the red of his haori began. The hanyou swung the Tetusaiga with weary abandonment, tearing the ground to shreds with the force of his kaze no kizu, with Kagura bounding about using her feather and fan to avoid his attacks.

Kirara flew high above the field with Shippo on her back, swooping, dodging and clawing lesser demons that got close and attempted to keep the small fox demon safe from the carnage below.

A yell of "KAZANAA!" rang out over the din of battle as Miroku sucked smaller hordes of demons into his wind tunnel, attempting to lessen the burden to the others; the strain on his face was beginning to show as he had been using it all day. The monk could feel the wind tunnel protesting and beginning to widen dangerously as he closed up the opening with his prayer beads, sweat forming on his brow and soaking his robes. Taking up his staff once again, he charged back into battle.

A maddened and half crazed roar broke Sango's concentration and her head snapped up to see Sesshomaru, the ice prince himself locked in combat with none other than the wretched Naraku. The evil hanyou laughed and taunted the full dog demon as he deflected his incredibly fast blows. The taiyoukai's eyes glowed with an eerie, fierce red and his fangs protruded from his lips giving him a half mad, feral appearance.

Naraku had begun the battle after kidnapping Rin and Jaken, Sesshomaru's adopted daughter and loyal retainer. Laughing maniacally he shredded them to tiny pieces before everyone's astonished eyes and proceeded to scatter them across the field and beyond, showering them all in the innocent girl's blood. This ensured that Sesshomaru had no chance of bringing the girl back with Tenseiga. Despite everyone's pleas and cries the Great Demon Lord completely lost it, his youkai raged within him, tearing at his soul and pride at the great wrong that had just been dealt him.

Blood ran crimson from a million cuts all over the demon's body, but he showed no signs of stopping or even noticing. The taiyoukai's mind was all consumed with the thought of rending the despicable hanyou to little pieces and covering his claws in the foul blood.

Blast after blast of pink purifying energy lit up the field as the little miko Kagome shot arrow after arrow, holding back the tide of lesser demons from InuYasha's back while he was distracted with Kagura. Her quiver was getting dangerously low, but she kept up the stream of arrows, the purifying light lent hope to the weary fighters. Blood ran down the little miko's leg and still she continued, her determination to keep her first love safe spurring her on, waves of raven hair blowing behind her with the power of her shots.

Kagome was now sixteen years old and it was hard for the wayward high schooler to believe that so much had happened in only one year. Nevertheless, she pushed all thoughts of what would have to happen after the battle and focused all her energy and thoughts on the situation at hand.

Sango turned back to her end of the battle, working furiously to keep the horde of demons at bay. Her brow creased in concentration and sweat poured down her aching body, despair rose within her as she fought back the feeling of overwhelming defeat. The tide of demons seemed endless.

A cry of alarm and pain drew her attention back across the field where the man she hoped to one day give the children he was always asking for with suddenly fell to his knees and doubled over in agony. Miroku's hand glowed with an eerie black as the wind tunnel began to expand beyond hope. Everything around him began to be sucked toward its strengthening power. Sango cried out and leapt forward, running toward the man she loved when suddenly she felt the wind knocked out of her. Puzzled she stopped when her knees gave out unexpectedly from underneath her. Sinking to the ground, as though in a daze everything felt so heavy and her eyes dropped down to her chest to see the point of a sickle poking out from where her sternum should be, right beneath her collar bone.

She heard Kagome shout in surprise and anger, but the exterminator couldn't seem to lift her head to look at her best friend. Familiar boots came into her field of vision and slowly, as if in a viscous liquid, she brought her head up to see her brother, Kohaku standing off to her side staring down at her with vacant eyes. Brutally he ripped the sickle from her back and she fell forward onto all fours coughing blood and other fluids, white hot pain wracked her slim frame. As she looked up the blank eyes of the young boy she once called brother went completely dark and he toppled over, falling into a heap in front of where she crouched. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out as her mind screamed denial, not noticing as her life blood drained into the earth below her.

The shard that once resided in her brother's back lay in the grasp of one of Naraku's insects as it hovered there momentarily before returning to its master. Naraku laughed gleefully receiving the shard from his minion and fused it with the nearly complete shikon after dodging another hasty swing from the enraged demon lord's sword.

The exterminator finally cried out, the pain in her heart over-riding the pain in her chest as she dragged herself to her fallen brother. Scooping the limp body into her weak arms, she cradled his head to her bleeding chest. Her last glance up before she faded away to join her brother was that of the man she loved being sucked into the wind tunnel that had plagued him all his life, their eyes met briefly before both were gone. The tunnel collapsed in on itself and disappeared along with the monk and Sango slumped forward onto the body of her brother.

Tears clouded Kagome's vision as she reached for another arrow, only to find her quiver empty. Pain exploded in her shoulder as a demon made it through her defenses and stabbed her with its claws. Throwing her hand out at her attacker she blasted the beast with a wave of purifying energy, disintegrating it on the spot.

Clutching her shoulder, she struggled to her feet, training her wavering vision on InuYasha. Her one hope was to get close enough to his battle with Kagura in order for them to help protect one another. A sickening thud behind her stopped her in her tracks. Turning slowly her breath hitched in her throat and she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face distorting her view of the horrific scene, nothing but a choked sob escaping her.

Kirara lay lifeless a short distance away, still in large form; her whole body was matted with blood from the massive slashes all up and down her sides. Shippo had similar slashes all over his tiny body, nearly rending the demon kit's body in half. Despair washed over the young woman and she covered her face with her hands, hopelessness seeped into her soul as she fought back the waves of overwhelming grief. Was it all for nothing? They were all going to die here. Her traitorous mind informed her that happy endings were for fairy tales. This was anything but. Forcibly she averted her sight from the carnal endings of her adopted son and cat friend, eyes overflowing and soaking her face and crimson stained sailor top. No. No, she wouldn't et their sacrifice be in vain. With monumental effort she steeled her heart and forced her emotions away. She had a job to do.

The injured miko turned back to the battle, struggling to rise to her feet, the slashes on her hip and through her back caused her massive amounts of pain, finding it difficult to cling to the fringes of her shaky resolve.

Kagome looked up just in time to see Naraku stab sneak a tentacle behind Sesshomaru's defenses and plunge it through his back and out his chest, shattering his spiked armor before retreating away from the snarling demon lord. Sesshomaru limped backward away from the hanyou, his one remaining arm covered the massive hole in his torso, furious with himself for being so blinded by rage to miss such an obvious attack. Naraku's momentary reprise from battle with the demon lord gave him the opportunity he was looking for. Massive tentacles shot out from his horrific form, tearing through everything they touched before embedding themselves through Kagura and into InuYasha.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed in a choked voice. Time seemed to slow down and the silver haired hanyou's shocked face turned toward the young woman, their eyes locking briefly before Naraku's tentacle sliced upward, ripping InuYasha and Kagura's bodies in two.

The little miko collapsed to her knees, all resolve shattered, staring at the bloody mass of flesh that used to be her first love, too shocked to shed any tears yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Naraku approaching, his hideous form looming over her in all its shapeless mass, the torso of the attractive man Naraku once was sticking gruesomely out the top.

She shuddered as he came down to her level and drew closer to her. In her peripheral vision, she could see Sesshomaru struggled to his feet, his demon healing having closed some of the wound, but not enough to fight yet. Tōkijin dangled from his one hand weakly as he began heaving his heavy form to an upright position.

Sapphire eyes returned to the wickedly grinning face of the horrid hanyou and all that filled her thoughts were the last moments of the only true friends she had ever known, her first love, and her adopted son. Crimson bore into deep blue as he finally spoke.

"Now you will be mine and through you I will control the shikon. You will stand at my side and together we will rule," Kagome resisted the urge to cringe. Staring into the bottomless evil in his eyes, she cupped her hands around the shards of the shikon and gave him the ultimatum.

"Fine, but you have to kiss me first in order to establish the bond," Naraku grinned wickedly and she could see Sesshomaru's look of disgust, as if he knew she would buckle like all other weak humans. _Not today_, she thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Reaching up, she took Naraku's face between her little hands; the shikon shards clutched possessively in her left one, and pulled him down to her. Taking a steadying breath and swallowing her revulsion, she pressed her lips to his. Naraku's look of triumph quickly turned to an expression of pure horror as he realized what she was doing. Kagome opened her mouth against his and poured all the purifying energy she had left in her into his mouth and down into his body.

An intense pink glow erupted between their mouths blinding streams of light cut the air as rays of the dawn cut twilight when the sun rises. He screamed in agony against her mouth, but she refused to let go of his face or release her hold on his lips. Pink purifying energy filled his body and he began to disintegrate from the inside out. Slowly his body turned to ash and floated away on the wind until she felt the horrible face under her hands finally lose its solidity and dissipate.

For a moment she continued to sit there with her hands in the air, looking up at the sky as her arch enemy was carried away as dust on the gently swirling breeze. It was so quiet now.

Clasped in her other hand was Naraku's large piece of the jewel. In shock she stared at it before placing her hands together, cupping the shards in her palms, a violet light escaped between her fingers before opening her hands to reveal the shikon, once again whole and purified. She stared at the round, perfect jewel glowing a contented pink against her hands still unable to cope with what just happened. The jewel glimmered benignly in her grasp and she could almost imagine none of it had just happened.

So much death for one tiny jewel.

When she finally managed to raise her head she found Sesshomaru had finally made it to his feet and was now standing a short distance away regarding her with his usual cool, emotionless façade. Suddenly, the weight of her friend's deaths and her injuries caught up as her adrenaline high faded and she wavered slightly, her vision clouded over and her body trembled in pain.

The Taiyoukai turned to leave as the human miko blacked out and slumped backward into unconsciousness, the jewel clutched possessively in her hands. Something stopped him and he turned back to look at the battered girl. No. Young woman.

He studied her for a moment, his gold eyes seeing through her as he contemplated her actions that day. She had withstood the battle with Naraku and when all was said and done, she alone had been the one strong enough to kill him. The woman had always been an enigma to the lord, ever since that fateful day when he lost his arm in his father's grave. The tiny, horribly dressed, indignant little miko always managed to surprise him with what she would do next, and Kami knows Sesshomaru hates surprises.

Still, as ningens go, she was almost tolerable. She was possessed of a power she had no idea how to control fully, though had vastly improved since their first meeting; of course he would never admit it to her face. Her smell was, he grudgingly admitted, not at all unpleasant when not tainted with blood as it was now. It bothered him however that even her blood smelled delicious. The woman always smelled clean, she never stank of sweat and body odor.

On a whim, he turned and scooped up the limp body with his one good arm, using his tail to nestle her against his now armorless chest. The movement seemed to rouse her and her unusual blue eyes opened slightly, staring up at the Taiyoukai in confusion.

"Where is your home?" he asked her monotone. Suddenly she seemed more awake and began to squirm in his arms, getting her blood all over his already soiled hakama.

"Please!" he raised one silver eyebrow at her sudden panic, "please! We can't leave until I can bury them!" she all but shouted at the taiyoukai, his wince at the loudness of her voice was lost on the frantic woman. He looked at her, his face his usual blank mask, but inside he was incredulous. "You can't just leave them here!" she begged him, her voice choked slightly. The demon breathed out slightly heavier than usual, but for someone else it would have been a huge sigh.

Setting her down carefully, he turned away. Kagome's panic rose, thinking he was going to leave her there for her impertinence, seeing as they weren't exactly on the best of terms and right before the battle had actually been considered enemies.

It shocked her then that Sesshomaru turned to a small copse of trees off to the side and began digging graves for her fallen comrades. She watched him work for a short while, overwhelmed with gratitude that he was bothering to do anything at all. Momentarily the pain from her injuries washed over her again and she slipped into blissful, dreamless unconsciousness, where the horror of the day couldn't bother her.

Sesshomaru looked over at her when he heard her breathing even out and deepen. _Good_, he thought, _now not only will she not bother me, but she won't see the bodies of her comrades, since they're not in good condition._ _Especially the little one that she seemed to have adopted._ Internally he chided himself. Concerned for a ningen's feelings? He must have suffered extreme bloodloss. To top it all off he was reduced to the menial task of digging graves for _humans._ Consoling himself with the thought that he only did it because she had killed Naraku when he'd failed to he continued to work.

The light of the setting sun warming his own battered body as he dragged the bodies to the holes he'd created and buried them, placing small, temporary markers on the fresh mounds and included one on unbroken ground for that houshi he had witnessed sucked into the hole in his hand.

Turning he picked up the slight woman and shook her gently to wake her. Wincing, her pain clouded eyes opened a slight bit.

"Where do you live?" he asked her again.

"InuYasha's Forest…." she said groggily, "the well…" before drifting back into unconsciousness. _The well?_ he thought. Beautiful amber eyes slid closed in irritation. In resignation, he took off with demon speed in the direction of the forest named after his late brother.

The sun had set by the time he touched down, his entire body protested greatly at the treatment he was giving it. Shaking her gently again, he forced her back to consciousness.

"Where is your home?" he asked her again, but this time more forcefully, convinced she was being a stupid human and leading him on a wild goose chase.

Big blue eyes blinked once in confusion, before heat rose in her cheeks having realized she was nestled up against the hard chest of the Ice Demon of the West.

Shaking her head to clear it, she hissed sharply as shockwaves of white hot pain ran through her shoulder and into her head. The demon's grip on her tightened on her as his patience began to grow dangerously thin.

"I will not ask you again, woman," he threatened, his silky voice dropped a pitch and made shivers run down her spine, her mind registering the fact that the pin pricks she felt against her bare thigh were his exceedingly deadly and poisonous claws.

"Uh… I live in the well…" she began.

"Woman, I do not have time for games…" he cut in.

"No, really, I actually live on the other side of the well, five hundred years in the future to be exact," Kagome rushed on, raising her eyes to the perfect face of the man holding her, doubt clearly written across his pale features.

_Kami, it's not fair how amazing looking he is… NO, BAD KAGOME!_

"You reside in the future and this well is the portal?" came the steel edged question. Though he knew her powers had been completely drained by destroying Naraku, he still had the urge to tell her to heal herself and dump her down the well and leave her there.

Kagome winced, but she could feel unconsciousness beginning to overtake her again, forcing the ever surfacing thoughts of her deceased friends back, and choking down the despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She'd had enough of this pompous ass and his attitude. Honestly, now she really didn't have much to lose.

"I'd like to thank you greatly for what you did for my friends, _Lord_ Sesshomaru, there's no way I could have buried them on my own and I probably would have died out there if you had left me. I suppose it would be only appropriate for me to rid your unblemished presence of my annoying self, so if you would just dump me down the well, I'll be on my way," black hemmed her vision from the energy it took to expel her monologue.

Kagome looked back up at the demon lord's face and nearly laughed out loud, wishing she had a camera on her at that moment. To say that Sesshomaru was shocked would be a perverse understatement. His usual mask had dropped and for once an emotion showed through his fathomless golden eyes, which were now wide in disbelief and his mouth was slightly open. Not wanting to end the moment, but obviously on the verge of blacking out again, the waves of pain made her eyes sting with unshed tears, she cut in before he could say anything.

"As much as I enjoy your company, my _lord_, either jump in the well and take me home or dump me down to go myself. Whichever you choose, please make it quick, I'm not going to be conscious long." As if in response to her last statement, her eyes began to droop and he noticed the lines of pain etching her young face.

"Do not presume to tell me what to do, woman," he said icily as he leapt easily and gracefully over the lip of the well and descended toward the bottom. The anticipated landing never happened; instead he was enveloped in a strange blue light and an intense feeling of vertigo and disorientation. Glancing down at his burden he noticed she had blacked out again and cursed himself for his curiosity.

After a few more moments of floating through the blue nothingness, he felt the world solidify around him and his feet touch down on soft earth once more. Suppressing a sigh of relief, he looked up expecting to see stars and was instead greeted with the sight of a roof over the well. Leaping silently out and landing on the lip of the well in a crouch, he surveyed his surroundings. He appeared to be in a small shed that had been built around the well, almost like a shrine in appearance but different from the ones he was used to.

Crossing cautiously to the door, he sniffed deeply to get his bearings and see if anything dangerous was nearby and sneezed sharply, his head swimming from the overpowering smell of everything around him. Sneezing sharply a few more times, Kagome was finally shaken awake from his sharp jerking.

"Why does this place smell so horrible?" he demanded of the groggy woman, instantly angry at the fact that made him lose his composure enough to do something so lowly as sneeze. He was sure it was all her fault.

"Oh, InuYasha hated the smell too. The modern world has a lot of things that generate smells that will hurt your nose, but the smell isn't nearly as bad inside my house," she said slurring her words slightly at the end as her eyes began to droop closed again.

Cursing mentally again, he slid the door open after taking a huge breath through his mouth, though that was just as bad as his sensitive senses were now on overdrive. He could actually taste that horrible stench. _Humans are disgusting._

The smell did nothing to prepare him for what was next. Exiting the small shack, he couldn't help but stop and stare at all of Tokyo laid out before him. Small lights flickered on and off as traffic went by and street lights winked on and off. The sky was filled with tall rectangular monstrosities and the smells were infinitely worse out here in the open.

A small dwelling stood off to his right that he assumed was the girl's home because it gave off a faint scent similar to hers. Quickly approaching the building, he sniffed delicately to determine which part of the building she lived in and discovered her scent was strongest coming from the window on the top floor.

Effortlessly he jumped to the opening and fumbled with the glass for a moment before figuring out how to slide it open and slipped inside. The young woman's scent assaulted him when he entered, but surprisingly, he didn't mind much. Once again he was reminded of the fact that from the moment he first met her and she had stood against him in his father's grave, he had known she was a different sort of human. She had shown no fear when she should have been trembling in a sobbing heap in the corner. The miko didn't stink of human sweat and filth, she always smelled fresh, clean and with a hint of sakura blossoms and spring water. If he was to be honest with himself, he would have added that she smelled better than most demonesses he had met as well.

Now that he had brought her to her home, he was at a loss as to what to do with her. His first thought was to just drop her on that thing off to his left that looked sort of like a futon and leave her there to fend for herself. She was a miko after all, right? That got ruled out quickly though as he knew and could feel in her weak aura that she had been drained of most of her powers. Briefly glancing down at her face, he could see how pale she was from loss of blood and he knew that if he left her there she would not live the night through. Her wounds had completely soaked the sleeve of his hakama. Deciding there was nothing for it, he silently exited the room in order to find their place of bathing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Demon vision allowed him to move through the dark house silently and with confidence, his hearing picked up an adult sleeping in the room down the hall and a child in the room across the way. Avoiding those doors, he carefully opened the one next to her room and stared in confusion at what he saw. The entire room was covered in tiny white tiles that glistened in the dark. What looked like an empty basin was carved into one wall with glistening silver appendages sticking out of it at odd angles.

Next to that was a half wooden and half white, waist high, rectangular shaped object with a mirror hanging above it. The space in the center of it looked a little like a wash basin, though it also had those silver, shiny things sticking out of it. But the thing next to that was what really confused him.

An oddly shaped object made completely out of the glimmering white material sat there and it gave him the distinct impression it was shaped like it was squatting. A hollow basin had been cut out of it and it had a rectangular shaped back to it. It almost resembled those things that humans used to dispose of waste, but it looked very different from any one he had ever seen, it was also filled with water and had only one of those silver shiny things on it.

Deciding that the large basin thing had to be where they washed themselves, he placed her gently in the human sized bath and shredded the last remaining rags of her clothing with his sharp claws, mindful not to knick her. One silver eyebrow rose involuntarily at the sight of the white contraptions she had around her chest and hips. The demon lord knew women wore undergarments, but he had _seen_ most of them and these looked nothing like anything he had ever seen before.

Deciding to leave those in place, he looked around for a way to put water in the basin. Her cuts would become infected if he didn't clean them, but he could see no way to fill the basin with water and could smell none nearby except for what was in that odd thing behind him. Just the residual odor from that told him that water was not clean enough to use on her wounds, so he decided to rouse her once more to find out how bathing in her time worked.

Sighing inwardly at the situation he had put himself into, he shook her shoulder.

"Woman, I need to clean your wounds. Where is the water to fill this?" blue eyes slid slowly open at the cold tone of his voice and the sound of it so near to her. It took a moment of blinking to formulate the details necessary to determine that the cold material behind her was the bathtub and she was home.

Painstakingly slowly the thoughts filtered into her head that she was wounded, he needed to clean those wounds, he doesn't know how to operate the tub and _OH MY KAMI I'M IN ONLY MY UNDERWEAR!_

Deciding there really wasn't much she could do about it and that she was lucky she was still alive, she forced the hot flush from her face and made up her mind.

"If you could help me sit up so I can reach the knob, I'll turn the water on for you," she said pointing at the silver contraptions on the wall. He pushed down the urge to snap at her for thinking he was incapable of getting water for the tub and simply did as she asked. Lifting her with his one arm, he pulled her forward until she could reach the silver dials with her good arm and she turned them, twisting one to the left and twisting the other to the right.

To his surprise, water began to flow from the silver spout and she put her hand in the stream as if feeling its temperature. She dropped a plug type thing into the hole at the bottom of the basin, turned the knobs a few more times until satisfied then he returned her to a laying down position.

Sesshomaru marveled for only a moment longer about how the water was capable of coming from the weird spigot at will and that with only turning the knobs a little bit it came out the perfect temperature. Mentally shaking himself, he turned back to his patient.

Closing her eyes tightly, she hissed as she felt him pour the water from his cupped hand over the gash along her hip and thigh before flipping her over with a gentleness she didn't know he possessed to do the same to the much deeper gash in her left shoulder. She rested her head on her arms as the bath filled slowly with soothing warm water and mulled over all that had happened.

Tears stung her eyes as she remembered the fight and how each of her friends had died. Overwhelming grief threatened to swallow her whole as despair sunk its claws into her heart. Sesshomaru stopped his ministrations as the sting of tears reached his sensitive nose. Just like most men, he hated it when a woman cried. His first urge was to ignore her as he did all women, but for some reason, he had the uncharacteristic urge to comfort the distraught woman. The same thing always happened to him when Rin cried. An unfamiliar feeling suddenly tightened in his chest, right around the region of his heart and he almost looked down to see if he had an injury he had missed. The feeling confused him greatly which disturbed him quite a bit. Pushing the feeling away, he returned his attention to the woman sobbing silently in front of him.

"You blame yourself for their deaths," he stated more than asked, surprising even himself as he spoke. Kagome froze, her muscles tensing up at the sudden question before giving him the barest of nods, making sure to keep her head turned away from him. He watched her raven tresses drape across her uninjured shoulder to float gracefully in the rising water.

"There was nothing that could have been done to save any of them. If there was, it would have been done. Do not mock their sacrifice by blaming it on yourself." Kagome sucked in her breath at his accusation. Was she belittling their deaths?

"They died accomplishing their goal: to destroy Naraku, or in reality, giving you the power to do so. Honor their deaths, but do not mock them with your self pity." Mentally he winced, he sounded like a general giving a soldier a lecture, not someone giving a distraught woman comfort in her grief. Although he had to admit he wasn't practiced at this, it was his first try.

Kagome paused, letting his words roll over in her mind, and replaying for herself one last time, the scenes of their deaths. They all died loving each other. She would not tarnish that memory.

"Thank you," her quiet voice surprised him, "that helps me a lot. I will do as you say." She knew the pain of loss would still be with her, but what he had told her brought things into focus for her a little better. Kagome realized she had indeed begun to blame herself for their deaths, berating herself for not having been strong enough for all of them. But she was who she was and she could not change that. They all knew the risks involved, though they had hoped for a better outcome. Finally at peace with herself and able to fully grieve the loss of her closest friends without the pang of guilt, she rested her head on her arms and let herself drift off once again, the tears staining her cheeks now ones of treasured memories than guilt and failure.

This woman never ceased to amaze him. First was her loyalty to his bastard half brother who didn't deserve that loyalty. Then she stands up to the most powerful demon in existence without becoming overwhelmed by fear. Then she tricks Naraku and himself he finally admitted, into thinking she had given herself over, when her goal the whole time was his destruction. Now, she takes harsh criticism over her grief of her friend's deaths and accepts it, using it to alleviate the pain in her heart.

After a moment of studying her young, though well shaped form, his eyes fell on the water filling the tub, realizing it was now more than a little tinged pink from her blood. He quickly turned the knobs the opposite way he had seen her turn them until the flow of water ceased.

Pushing his amazement at such contraptions to the back of his mind to ponder over later, he gently scooped the unconscious woman out of the water and laid her on the bathmat outside the tub.

He was loathe to do what he was about to do, but he figured it had to be done otherwise she would die. Snatching up a towel from it's hanger on the wall, he wrapped her in it to keep her warm before turning her so the gash on her back faced him. Leaning down, his tongue shot out and gently lapped at her wound, making sure to move in the direction of the ripped skin. Inuyoukai have a special property to their saliva that helps to close and quickly heal wounds. Therefore, licking a particularly deep wound, even though the injured party may not be a demon, will still result in much faster healing and clotting so the wound could close up better. He continued these ministrations until he saw his saliva having the desired effect.

Setting her down gently, he moved to the gash on her hip and repeated the treatment. The great lord Sesshomaru was forced to admit to himself that she did not taste as bad as he had anticipated. In fact, she tasted absolutely delicious, her soft supple skin gave easily to his attention and the taste of her blood made him crave more.

Mentally scolding himself for his wayward thoughts, he quickly finished cleaning and sealing her hip wound before wrapping her completely in the large fluffy towel and scooping her into his arm once again. Exiting the still dark bathroom, he silently made his way back to her room and placed her on the bed. Making sure she was still asleep he turned to leave and go back through the well, but a wave of weariness washed over him and he stopped, leaning heavily on the window. His own injuries had caught up with him.

Looking around the small room and taking deep breaths to ensure everything was alright, he decided this was as safe a place as any to heal and rest, so he settled himself down below the window in a position he did not realize so resembled the hanyou who used to sit there.

He realized he had lost a lot of blood for him to become so dizzy and being weak never sat well with him.

Leaning his head back, he decided to just close his eyes for a little while the rest of the hole in his chest healed and before he knew it he had fallen deeply asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A pounding ache brought Kagome back to consciousness. The most annoying thing about it was that she couldn't determine where the ache was coming from. It seemed that her entire body ached. Blue eyes cracked open a tiny bit as her mind struggled to bring into focus all that had happened. Suddenly, blinding visions of the events the day before came flashing through her mind. Tears stung her eyes briefly as she remembered the horrible moments at the end of the battle when she lost everyone who meant so much to her. Then memories of being carried back home and bathed as well as Sesshomaru's words all came back to her.

Her eyes snapped open, _Sesshomaru! _Looking around frantically, her eyes finally fell on the stoic demon lord, his back was against the wall below her window, his swords were leaned against his good shoulder and his legs were crossed. His eyes were peacefully closed and his hair hung all in a silver curtain that pooled on the floor around him.

She sighed quietly and relaxed back on the bed, her eyes darting to the clock on her bedside table, the unwavering red dial showing 4:30 in the morning. It was still dark outside, so she curled up more tightly in her towel and thought to fall back asleep.

_Wait… towel? Oh Kami, that's right. He bathed me last night. _A heated blush spread across her cheeks as her sapphire orbs once again fell on the deadly demon who just so happened to be sleeping in her room. Or not.

Kagome let out a startled "eep" when she found eerie golden eyes staring right back at her. Sesshomaru had come out of sleep the moment he heard her heart begin to speed up, signaling she was waking. He heard her breath quicken and smelled the sting of tears as her wakeful mind grasped all that had happened. It was when he picked up the hot flush and when he scent spiked oddly that he finally opened his eyes.

"You should rest more, you have much healing to do," Kagome stared at the demon lord from her position on her side wondering briefly why he had even stayed. Her eyes strayed down his figure, appraising him more closely. It looked as if most of his wounds had almost healed, but his usually pristine hakama was soiled and bloody and he generally looked a mess. Her eyes returned to his face to find him regarding her coolly with perhaps a twinge of annoyance.

"Will you stay?" the question took him aback. Golden orbs blinked once at her, the slight reaction betraying his confusion at her question. "I don't want you to leave. Not yet." He continued to stare at her and she sighed. "I've lost everyone, and so have you. I think we both need some time away and I want to make sure you're alright as well before you go back. Perhaps also get you some new clothes."

"The clothes are unnecessary," he stated cooly.

"I know, but after all you've done for me, it's the least I could do," the little miko replied, blue eyes staring into golden hopefully.

Sesshomaru was at a loss as to what to say. He did not expect her to ask him to stay, nor had he considered the option. The stoic lord thought to leave before she had even awoken, never to speak to one another again. His curiosity spiked briefly at the idea that he might get to explore the fascinating, albeit disgusting smelling world she lived in.

Thinking about it briefly, he really had no reason to hurry back, Rin and Jaken were gone, the western lands weren't going anywhere and had withstood his absence thus far. After a few moments of contemplation he shrugged elegantly, his silver hair spilling off his shoulder and turned away.

Kagome watched him while he thought things through, then marveled at how the demon could make such an insignificant movement as a shrug look so graceful. _And that hair!_ A girl would kill for hair like that. Just the way the light of the setting moon spilled over it would make anyone green with jealousy.

"If you are quite done staring at me then you should go back to sleep," Kagome flushed a deep red and flipped indignantly onto her other side, wincing slightly at the dull, residual ache in her shoulder. _Well he didn't have to be so haughty about it! Like it's MY fault he's gorgeous. _Mentally slapping herself for that last comment, she calmed herself and finally managed to slip back into a deep, healing sleep.

Sesshomaru allowed his eyes to slip over to the young woman briefly before sliding back to stare straight in front of him. He was through resting and his chest wound was almost completely gone. By tomorrow morning there wouldn't even be a scar left. He really didn't know why he had agreed to stay, it just seemed like something to do. The thought of going back to the western lands and all the paperwork he knew had piled up for him there really didn't appeal to him. Plus, when was he going to get an opportunity like this again? Five hundred years into the future? Oh, the possibilities.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kagome had been having a wonderful dream about udon and a certain silver haired demon lord when she felt very rude, strong fingers prodding at her tender shoulder and hip. Groaning, she attempted to roll slightly away from the fingers, but was rewarded with a soft growl of annoyance and a firm hand keeping her in place.

"Just five more minutes, InuYasha," she mumbled attempting to move away again. An odd tingling and scraping sensation started at her neck, right above her collarbone and moments later a sharp acrid smell reached her nose.

"Call me that again, wench, and you'll lose your head permanently," as if there were another non-permanent way to lose your head. Blue eyes snapped open and it took a few moments for her sleep muddled brain to comprehend that the tingling feeling and the smell was from Sesshomaru's poison claws pressed against the soft skin of her neck and not InuYasha at all.

"Eep! I'm sorry! I'm not a very good morning person!" she said wiggling more in an attempt to edge away from him. Another soft growl emitted from deep within the demon's chest showed his annoyance. The taiyoukai didn't seem to be a morning person either.

"Hold still. I am examining your shoulder," instantly Kagome stopped moving, though because she's Kagome, after a few moments off stillness she began to get restless and curious. Sesshomaru was tempted to hit her on the head hard and knock her out, she was wiggling so much. _What in Kami was the girl doing?_

Apparently Kagome wanted to see the wound on her shoulder for herself, though it being on her shoulder in the vicinity of her shoulder blade, she couldn't twist herself quite far enough to see it, so her body did some interesting contortions in her attempt to maneuver her head far enough to look.

Her twisting and such put her head very close to his chest, his one good hand remained on her ribs from when he had tried to still her so he could finish checking the almost healed wound. His own head was bent closer to her so he could see the soft, new tissue better, his silver hair formed a curtain around his shoulder that spilled behind the two of them and onto the bed.

This is how Kagome's mother found them

"Someone approaches," the demon lord stated.

"Wh-what?" She had barely gotten the stuttered question out when the door to her room suddenly swung open and her mother stepped in with a large pile of clean and neatly folded laundry. _Kami, that's right! She doesn't know I'm home yet. _

Finally Mrs. Higurashi looked up and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight that met her bewildered eyes. Her daughter was in her bed, mostly naked in only a bra and panties and a towel which had fallen down around her slender hips and a very large, odd looking man was on her bed _with her_ and in a very intimate position. Covered in blood. Dried blood.

She almost dropped the pile of clothes right there on the floor, but she regained her composure quickly enough to deposit the clothes on the desk. Turning she gave her daughter and her… friend a shaky smile.

"Kagome, dearest! I didn't know you were home. If you and your friend would like to clean up and come down to breakfast I have some questions I'd like to ask you both," with a polite bow to Sesshomaru, she turned and exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Sesshomaru stared at the door for a moment before looking back down at the girl half underneath him on the bed. Rudely, he shoved her by the middle of her back onto the bed and held her there while he finished looking and poking at her shoulder. Kagome hit the bed with an 'oof' and waited patiently while he finished looking her over, now ok with the fact that all he was doing was looking out for her best interest.

"Your mother was very polite," he said as he rose. Kagome sat up stiffly as she still ached quite a bit, though the wound had closed and swung her legs off the side of the bed with a sigh.

"That means she's very angry," she ran fingers through the tangled mess of her bangs and went to get up when she heard her mother's startled exclamation from down the hall. Jumping to her feet, Kagome grabbed a bathrobe from the back of her door and hurried to the bathroom where the sound of her mother had come from.

Nearly colliding with her mother as the woman exited the bathroom, Mrs. Higurashi grabbed her daughter's shoulders in a tight grip.

"Kagome! There's bloody water in the bathtub and all over the bathmat! Are you alright? Have you been hurt at all? What happened?" Kagome looked past her mother into the bathroom and cringed at how it looked. Although Sesshomaru may be good at cleaning and healing wounds, he wasn't good at bathroom hygiene. The bathtub was still full of red tinged water and dried blood and bloody water spattered the floor and bathmat as well. Generally it looked like someone had been murdered in their bathroom.

"No, Mom, I'm alright. I did have an injury, but Sesshomaru-sama has mostly healed it and I'm fast on the way to being back to normal. There's no need to worry." Her mother visibly relaxed, having seen for herself that her daughter was fine and hearing her assurances. She glanced at the demon lord who now filled the doorway to the girl's room, standing there like a statue cut of pure white marble, stains on his clothes notwithstanding. Her first glance at him was brief and she didn't get much detail, but looking at him now, she could see how his hakama was fairly destroyed and his clothes were covered in more dried blood than there was in the bathroom.

"Kagome, you and Sesshomaru-sama please clean up and I will get some clothing for him to wear since those hakamas look like they need to be cleaned and mended. He would also stand out like a sore thumb if you took him around wearing them."

Sesshomaru inclined his head in only the slightest manner, but Mrs. Higurashi caught it and returned a bow. Turning to her daughter, she smiled lightly before retreating downstairs to begin breakfast and make sure Souta got out the door to school on time.

Kagome slumped against the door of the bathroom and ran a hand over her face. This was one hell of a morning already. She looked up to find Sesshomaru staring at her with those golden eyes that seemed to have a light of their own. The sight unnerved her.

"Lets get you cleaned up first, my mom will have clothes up for you soon," she turned and went into the bathroom, cleaning up the blood from the night before and letting out the water, rinsing the bathtub down as she did so. Sesshomaru had come to the bathroom door and stood there staring at everything within now in the daylight.

The switch on the wall made the odd shaped glass things above the mirror light up, though there was no flame. He grabbed the switch and flipped it himself, making the light switch off. Flipping it several times, he just stared at the bulbs and Kagome forced herself to remain calm and not snap at the demon who had never seen lights before. InuYasha had done the same thing though she would never tell him that.

"It would have been useful to have known about that last night," he stated more to the room than to anyone in particular, Kagome got the distinct feeling he was accusing the lights of betraying him by not letting him know of their useful properties before, but she ignored that and moved on to other things.

"Would you like to take a shower or a bath?" she asked him as she looked up from placing a clean bath mat on the floor. His silver head cocked to the side slightly as he studied her, obviously not knowing what she was asking, his eyes had the barest hint of a question in them.

"Shower?" he knew what a bath was, but shower was a new term to him and he was loath to ask.

"Oh!" Kagome jumped up and moved to the bathtub to show him.

"A shower is like a waterfall that you can turn off and can be as hot or as cold as you desire it to be." She twisted the knobs to start the water and pulled the switch that turned the shower on, making sure the curtain partially closed so that the water didn't get everywhere. Moments later, water began to spray from the shower head and Kagome adjusted the knobs so it was warm before turning back to the demon lord. Sesshomaru had watched her every movement intently so that he would remember how to do these things himself and he moved to the shower to examine it closer.

"How does the water come when you want it to?" he asked and Kagome knew he was not happy about the fact that there were things out there that he didn't know. She had a feeling he was not accustomed to being the person in the dark.

"It's called plumbing. These knobs are connected to pipes that are behind the wall. A tank in the basement of the house holds the water and keeps it pressurized in the pipes. That way, when the knobs are turned, the shower or bathtub spigot open up and water sprays out. Heat coils along some of the pipes heat up the water to the temperature you turn the dial to before it reaches here." Watching him, she was slightly surprised to see understanding behind his golden orbs. Apparently, her explanation had been clear enough that he understood the logistics of what was involved.

"Interesting," was all he said. Kagome cleared her throat.

"Alright, I'll leave you now, if you need anything, I'll be in my room," she gestured to the white bathrobe hanging on the back of the bathroom door, "this is the guest bathrobe, wrap yourself in that when you're done and just come back to my room. You can dress there while I'm taking my own shower." She pointed to the colorful bottles on the wall of the tub. "That blue bottle is called shampoo and it is used to lather your hair, the purple one is conditioner and that detangles it…" she glanced down at his still perfect hair, "though I don't think you need it." She was shocked to be rewarded with an actual smirk from the stoic demon lord. "The pink bar like thing on the shelf there is the soap. I think that's it, just let me know when you're done and I'll show you where mom left the clothes." With that, she left him to his own devices.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kagome left the bathroom, closing the door behind her and returned to her room to wait until Sesshomaru emerged. Sesshomaru stood in the bathroom for a moment, taking all the oddities around him in before finally beginning to disrobe. He was never one to tarry long, especially when it came to something frivolous like bathing. Sure, it was necessary, but he did not relish in it like many lords or ladies. It was simply something he did, yes it felt good, but doing things that felt good was not something Sesshomaru indulged in. At least not normally.

Silently, he stripped himself of the remains of his shattered armor and his ripped and bloodied garments, setting them on the floor. His hair had mostly escaped abuse during the battle and he never washed it much anyway, but his tail was much the worse for wear. He unwound it from his shoulder before he had taken off his clothes and now he glanced at it as it lay across the floor, looking pathetic with bloody matted fur and dirt ground into it.

Gracefully he stepped into the shower, making sure all of his tail made it into the tub. The water was the perfect temperature and quickly rinsed away the grime and dried blood from the battle the previous day. Ignoring the shampoo and conditioner, he simply soaked his hair before picking up the bar of soap to rid his body of the more persistent grime. A thought occurred to him and he glanced briefly at the shampoo, then at his tail. He snatched up the first bottle and poured some of the liquid into his palm (how he managed this with one hand, I have no idea, but I'm guessing he has very dexterous fingers), put the bottle down and massaged it into his tail from right where it started at the end of his spine all the way down to the tip. After he was finished, he rinsed himself off thoroughly, making sure no traces of soap were left behind.

Once he was done he stared at the dials in a manner that might have made even an inanimate object cringe. Forcefully, he brought images of how the miko had turned on the water and he did the opposite, turning the switch to shut off the shower and then spinning the dials in the opposite direction he had seen her turn them. He was rewarded with the water shutting off as he had hoped and he stood there, resisting the urge to shake the excess water off his body. After all, he was a guest in their house and it wouldn't do to soak the bathroom his first day there.

Instead, he grabbed his heavy, silky curtain of hair with his one good hand and wrung all the excess water out and down the drain of the bathtub before grabbing one of the white fluffy towels off the rack on the wall, toweling himself dry. Briefly he wondered if she was a hime or if all homes in her time had such luxurious bathrooms, although, he admitted, the bathroom was not as large in size as he would expect of a hime. He used the towel to vigorously dry off his tail, ridding it of the water and returning it to its original fluffiness.

Shrugging the soft white bathrobe onto his shoulders and closing it tightly, he maneuvered the tie deftly with his only hand, his tail curled up from where the bathrobe fell to his knees, careful not to lift the back of it at all and wrapped itself in its customary place on his shoulder. He scooped up his dirty clothing and remnants of his armor, he never was one to be waited on, why let others do things for you if you could do them yourself, and exited the bathroom.

Upon exiting the bathroom he turned to proceed to the miko's room when a young boy came barreling out of a room down the hallway and nearly ran right into him, barely stopping in time and falling flat on his rump for his trouble. The boy looked up in surprise and found he had to crane his neck way back in order to fully follow the figure to the top of his head. When he did, he found the eeriest golden eyes staring down at him. The eyes were much like his neesan InuYasha, though slender and colder. Stammering an apology, Souta jumped up quickly and bowed stiffly and hurriedly at the waist before skirting the demon and sprinting down the stairs.

Sesshomaru turned and entered the miko's room without knocking. Kagome was sitting at her desk with a pile of odd looking books next to her, perusing through a mess of papers that lay scattered all over the place. She looked up eagerly as he entered and jumped out of her seat.

"Oh! You're done already! Great! My mom left you some clothes from when my father was alive, I guess she never had the heart to get rid of them, but she said they would come close to fitting you hopefully, at least until we can get you some that actually fit. Just as a warning, the clothes we wear in my time differ vastly from those you would normally wear, so if you have any trouble putting them on or have any questions, make sure to just ask me. I'll answer anything you want." With that, she eagerly grabbed her bathing stuff and exited the room to take a much needed shower.

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the room wondering how on earth his half brother put up with such a woman. Though he had to admit, she got all the information out he needed in nearly one breath before scampering out of the room like some demented toddler. Folding his battered silk garments as best he could considering there wasn't much left of them; he piled them along with what was left of his armor and his yellow sash in one of the few uncluttered places on her desk and turned to the pile of clean clothes she had left him.

Daintily he picked up the black shirt and studied it briefly before turning to the pants. She had to be kidding. There was barely enough material there to cover him, let alone clothe him decently. Yes, she had warned him that clothes in her era were different, but this was ridiculous. Shedding his robe and dropping it to the floor, he found what looked to be small white undergarments under the pants that were strangely stretchy around the waste and fell to just above mid thigh. Stifling a sigh, he managed to wiggle himself into the clothes provided him, though he was much more used to stepping into them, not worming his way into them.

When the pants were finally almost all the way up, he realized he had a problem. There was no hole in them for his tail. Pulling them up to just underneath his tail, he realized the pants would not sit up where they were supposed to when the tail was there. Letting out a soft breath of resignation he closed his eyes and placed his palm on his tail bone where his tail met his spine. _The things I will have to do while I'm here,_ he thought with a mental head shake. The demon's hand glowed briefly and his tail faded from view as if it had never existed.

Finally he had the shirt on and the pants, but he was having trouble with the front of them. There was a metal contraption along the front and on top of that was a button. Pulling on it, being careful not to rip the material, he managed to figure out that the loose piece in the metal was what operated it and acted as a closer for the pants instead of a row of buttons as was normal. Then he clasped the one button at the top and readjusted the too tight shirt.

Standing in front of the mirror he realized how ridiculous he looked. The pants were made of a thick and fairly rough blue material, but they were too big around his waist and a little too short on the legs, so they sagged down past his bellybutton and barely held on when they reached his hip bones. The black t-shirt that had been left him was stretched tight across his chest muscles and was even tighter around his entire right bicep and around what was left of his left one. The shirt was also too short, especially with the pants riding as low as they were, and only reached his bellybutton, displaying for the whole world to see his lower abs and hips. This especially bothered him since the maroon slashes across his hips that matched the ones on his hands were clearly visible. He'd never felt more exposed in his entire life.

Turning to the bed, he saw socks and shoes left there as well. Sitting down, he pulled on the socks one by one and then glared at the shoes. They were oddly shaped and weird in color and there was no way in hell he was putting _those_ on his feet unless he absolutely had to.

Kagome re-entered her bedroom with a sigh of deep content, her head tilted to the side as she toweled dry her hair only to turn and find a very irritated demon lord parked on her bed staring at her in a very disconcerting manner.

Stopping her movement, she stared back at him with wide confused eyes until she finally alighted on his attire. She figured laughing out loud at the most dangerous demon in all of Japan was probably a death wish so she swallowed hard and forced herself to stare at his face instead.

"What?" The stoic youkai raised one elegant eyebrow at what he felt should have been obvious.

"What indeed? You truly expect me to walk around looking like this? I am barely dressed," Kagome forced down the laughter that threatened to bubble out of her uncontrollably and schooled her expression into one of innocence.

"What's wrong with it? You look great! Oh, the pants are a little short and big around the waist and the shirt is a little too tight, but other than that you'll fit in nicely!" Not to mention the fact that she had never seen him in anything other than massive amounts of silk and spiked armor, and knowing someone was strong was _entirely_ not the same thing as seeing that strong person in an extremely tight black shirt with every muscle showing through so nicely.

Looking at him more closely now, she noticed something was missing. Sesshomaru's fluffy boa thing was no where in sight. It wasn't over with his other clothes and it wasn't on his person.

"Where's that fluffy boa thing you always have?" she asked cocking her head slightly and she could swear she saw a look of absolute annoyance cross the youkai's face briefly.

"That is _not_ a fluffy boa, that is my _tail,"_ Kagome's eyes widened, "and I have put a small spell on it that hides it for short periods of time. It did not fit in the pants." As he stared at her he could see laughter light up her eyes and he stifled a sigh. This woman was intolerable at times. There was absolutely nothing funny about the fact that he had to endure the indignity of hiding his tail, at least _he_ thought there wasn't. Kagome cleared her throat, having swallowed her laughter.

"Uh, how long does the spell last?" she asked glancing across his chest, realizing he looked less imposing and smaller without it.

"It will last until this evening or until I release the spell," he turned away dismissively.

"Oh," Kagome began. "So is that a talent all youkai have? Or is it just something you acquired among all your other skills?" Sesshomaru didn't look at her, he just continued to sit on the bed cross legged and stare at the wall.

"All youkai have that ability. We can even hide our entire form and look completely human if the youkai is strong enough," he leveled her with a piercing glare, "but though I hide my tail I will _not_ change any of the rest of my appearance in order to fit into _your_ world." Kagome sweat dropped as he turned forward once again.

Her eyes alighted on the odd way the sleeve fell from where the bicep suddenly ceased to exist on his left side and a pang of guilt shot through her. She was partly responsible for the loss of his limb and seeing him in such a revealing shirt brought into sharp focus just how much she and his half brother had taken from him. Sure, he had killed countless people in his lifetime, but he had done other things deserving of honor and respect. He was an honorable creature and didn't deserve to be maimed so. Though it did absolutely nothing to detract from his awesome presence and the rest of his body definitely made up for any lack the missing arm might have created. Definitely, definitely made up for it…

_BAD train of thought!_ Kagome turned away, to hide the blush beginning to form on her cheeks and began rummaging through her closet for something to wear. She could almost feel the angry glare burning a hole through her bathrobe and into her back. _Kami could the guy stare! That stare is enough to kill someone!_ Having settled on an outfit, she turned around to find him still sitting on the bed glowering at her. She cleared her throat.

"Not that I don't mind your sterling company, but would you mind heading downstairs for breakfast so I can get changed? I don't think my mom would be too keen on my changing in here with you, especially with how she found us this morning." The stare continued unchanged. "Please Sesshomaru-sama?" Kagome decided politeness was the best policy with the demon even though she felt ridiculous doing it.

Unfolding himself from the bed and rising gracefully to his feet in one swift motion, his glower never left her face, only breaking the stare after padding silently to the door and giving her a disgusted look before leaving and shutting the door behind him. Kagome sighed in relief and rid of herself of her bathrobe so she could get dressed.

She would have to do something about his clothing or she would never be rid of that menacing glare. Therefore, first priority this morning: head to the mall and buy Demon Lord of the West some new, better fitting, and suitably fashionable clothing. Sighing quietly to herself, she finished dressing in a light blue sundress and slipped matching sandals onto her feet, ran a quick brush through her mostly dry hair and hurried out of her room and down the stairs to make sure all was all right between her mother and the predictably unpredictable and impeccably annoying stoic demon lord.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sesshomaru wandered down the stairs silently, using his over used and very abused sense of smell to find his way to the kitchen. Entering silently he stood in the doorway and surveyed his surroundings. This room was as confusing as the bathing room. A _sink_ the miko had called it, or something similar to it was directly across the room from him underneath a set of two windows. On the surface around it were several odd looking boxes of different sizes and colors. Cabinets of designs he had never seen before hung above the counters and a large white thing hummed over to one side and gave the appearance of having a small door on the top half and a larger door on the bottom half.

His eyes soon fell on Kagome's mother who was chopping something up on the opposite side of the room with her back to him, humming some tune he didn't recognize. Next his golden orbs reached the table in the middle of the room at which the boy who nearly ran into him a little while ago sat. The boy had noticed him some time ago and sat staring at him open mouthed with his breakfast unfinished in front of him.

Mrs. Higurashi turned around to say something to the boy when she caught sight of the demon in the doorway.

"Oh, good morning, Sesshomaru-sama," she said with a polite bow at the waist, "would you like to join us for some breakfast?" she asked gesturing to the table her son currently sat at.

"I will eat nothing, however I will join you," he said in return inclining his head in acknowledgement of the honor she'd given his title. Sesshomaru found he greatly liked Kagome's mother. She showed proper respect when she knew she was in the presence of her betters and she was quiet and unassuming. Briefly he called to mind the fact that when addressing him in front of others, Kagome had also used the honorific with his name and showed him respect and he greatly honored that. Though she was more relaxed when alone with him, which he didn't appreciate, acting like his friend, though Sesshomaru-sama, lord of the west needs no friends, she still was polite and respectful when necessary. He did however wish Kagome possessed more of her mother's unassuming traits.

"Some coffee or tea perhaps then?" Mrs. Higurashi asked politely. After a moment of his silent staring at her, she realized that was his way of showing confusion because she had used a word he didn't know. "You have never had coffee? Would you like to try a cup? It's one of Kagome's favorite drinks, especially when she needs to relax before a test. It's a little strong and slightly bitter in flavor. Some say it is an acquired taste, but others love the flavor of coffee right from the start." Mrs. Higurashi busied herself with pouring out a cup of the steaming liquid and adding a little bit of cream to the cup to cut a little of the bitterness before placing it in front of him.

The older woman understood the fact that he was unaccustomed to not knowing things and decided to make it easier on his pride by simply making herself busy and ignoring his confusion, saving him the disgrace of needing to ask. For which he was grateful.

Sesshomaru looked down at the steaming liquid in the oddly shaped cup. He had never seen a glass with a handle on it before and decided it was there because the liquid was hot and ningens heat tolerance was not high enough to withstand holding the cup with the liquid inside.

Ignoring the handle and picking it up directly, he took a dainty sniff at the liquid. It had a very full and strong smell like she had warned, but it also had almost a nutty smell to it, like nothing he had ever smelled before. He took a cautious sip, not because it was hot, but because he wasn't sure he would enjoy a mouthful of the hot liquid. After a moment he took another sip and before Mrs. Higurashi knew it, the mug was empty.

"Oh, would you like another cup?" not waiting for his response, figuring he was too polite to give an affirmative or negative, she scooped up the cup and had another steaming one in front of him within moments. He drank this one slowly, savoring it this time and settled himself down at the table across from the boy who had finally gotten over staring at him and had finished his meal.

Turning from her work, Kagome's mother took off her apron and turned to face the youkai.

"I apologize, we were never properly introduced. I am Higurashi Kaname (dunno what her real name is, so no flames!) and this is my son Higurashi Souta," she said bowing at the waist and gesturing to the young boy who resumed staring. Sesshomaru set down his mug and swept to his feet, his curtain of hair following the movement of his body and swishing over his shoulder slightly in a silky waterfall.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Lord of the Western lands, son of Inu no Taisho," he said in his deeply silky voice, inclining his head out of respect for their introduction.

"Oh, my! A lord visiting us! I didn't realize Kagome had such highly placed friends," Mrs. Higurashi said with an amused twinkle in her deep, soulful brown eyes.

"I don't really, he's actually the half brother of InuYasha and he saved my life, so I owe him a debt of gratitude," Kagome said as she entered the kitchen, nodding to Sesshomaru, ruffling Souta's hair despite his wailing protest and practically leaping into her mother's outstretched arms.

"We've missed you so much, Kagome!" her mother said tearfully.

"I missed you guys too!" Kagome said finally letting go of her mother and stepping back before sitting down at the table next to Sesshomaru. Her mother sat opposite her next to Souta after setting a plate of food in front of her daughter.

"So, Kagome, he is _the_ Sesshomaru? InuYasha's half brother who was your enemy? I don't understand. Where is InuYasha?" Kagome instantly lost her appetite and set down her chopsticks. Looking down so her bangs covered her face, she knew this was going to come, but she had hoped not so soon. She schooled her voice into an even tone and responded after a few moments.

"The final battle with Naraku finally came, mother," she heard her mother's swift intake of breath, but she barreled on before she lost all her courage, "InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, Kirara and… and… S-Shippo all died." Before she had even finished she felt her mother's arms encircle her and she buried her face in her mother's comforting shoulder. Sesshomaru ignored both women and stared straight ahead of him, sipping lightly at his coffee.

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry! I know how much all of them meant to you." Kagome nodded. "It's alright, honestly I'm beginning to come to terms with it. They died protecting me and accomplishing what we had to do. Naraku was destroyed. We succeeded. So in the end, we were all victorious," she finished with a shaky smile.

"What about the shikon?" her mother asked worriedly. The miko reached into her dress and pulled on the silver chain the shikon no tama dangled on around her neck exposing it to view.

"I'll need to make a wish on it eventually, but for now I'm simply its guardian. Right now I can't think of a completely pure wish with my friend's deaths so recently behind me." Her mother nodded in understanding.

"A wish like that takes much personal and spiritual strength. Protect it and rest and the solution will come to you." Kagome nodded and returned the jewel to its place nestled against her chest. "So, what are your plans for today?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, rising to her feet and making herself busy with cleaning the kitchen. Souta excused himself and hurried out the door to school. Kagome knew she couldn't go to school like a normal girl with a demon lord sitting around at her house and she sighed silently to herself before responding.

"Sesshomaru-sama needs some clothes that fit him. I offered to show him around our world a little and we're not entirely sure how long he will be staying. So I thought I'd take him to the mall and get him a few outfits for his stay here." Kagome started back slightly when a credit card appeared in her line of vision.

"Take this and get what you'll need," her mother said with a smile on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "I don't think the outfit he has is quite fitting for a man of his station. My husband was a good man, but not quite as tall or with such physique," she finished glancing up still smiling at the demon who didn't know whether to scowl at the woman for her forwardness or be flattered that she'd paid him a compliment. So he did what he was good at, he scowled, but he didn't fool her for a moment.

"I have some out of town errands to do for the day. Souta knows to come home and do his homework before playing his games. I won't be back until around supper time. Do you think you both will be alright until then?" she asked and Kagome nodded. "I'm taking the train so you'll have free use of the car. I don't think Sesshomaru-sama would appreciate riding in a stuffy train full of noise and lots of humans," she added taking note of the slightly relieved glint in the otherwise emotionless eyes.

"Ok, mom!" Kagome kissed her mom lightly on the cheek before running to the door to get her purse and grabbing Sesshomaru's shoes off the floor. "I'm afraid you'll have to wear these until we can get you something more suitable," she began until she heard a soft rumbling aimed in her direction. She looked up to find Sesshomaru glaring at the shoes as if he wanted to disintegrate them with his poison claws. "Sesshomaru-sama, you can't walk around barefoot, I know the sneakers aren't to your taste and they might be a little too small, but they'll work for now. Oh, and you'll need to leave your swords here," she began glancing at the two swords she saw he had strapped to his back with a length of cord, "in my era no one is allowed to walk around with a sword on them. Please, Sesshomaru-sama?" Ignoring her completely, he turned and walked back out of the kitchen and proceeded up the stairs. Kagome sighed and leaned on the table, happy to still be alive, but wondering what on earth he was doing.

She jumped slightly when he reappeared beside her wearing the boots he wore with his hakama and his swords were gone.

"They reek of blood, but they are much preferable to those… things," he said turning his nose up distastefully at the sneakers she still held and saying nothing about his lack of swords. It's not like he needed the swords to defend himself against a bunch of ningens anyway. Shrugging weakly, she dropped the sneakers back on the floor by the door and grabbed the keys to the car before leaving the house with a final wave to her mother.

Kagome chatted about nothing in particular as they crossed the courtyard to the shrine and descended the stairs to the waiting car. She continued to chat nervously, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to get the demon to even get in the car, let alone sit quietly while they drove.

Finally they reached their destination and stopped. Sesshomaru stared at the contraption of steel and wheels and tried to make heads or tails of it. Kagome took a deep breath.

"This is called a car. It's like a carriage from your time, but it's motorized, meaning it drives on its own power." Sesshomaru raised one slender eyebrow at that and Kagome continued, "this is how we ningens generally get from place to place. Seeing as there are not many demons in this era, flying and leaping from one location to another would draw undue attention to ourselves." His look of incredulity confused her for a moment until she realized what she had said. "Yes, there are no demons in this era that I can sense thus far. That doesn't mean they don't exist, I just haven't met one here yet."

Sesshomaru glowered at her for a moment before letting her continue. She stepped over to the passenger side door and pulled up on the handle, popping it open for him, swinging the door all the way open.

"You sit inside it in the seat and the driver operates it. If you'll get in, I'll show you, but just to warn you, when I start the car up it will make a kind of… growling sound. It's not growling at _you_, that's just the sound the car makes so it can move." Sesshomaru stared at her in what she guessed was his dubious expression, though it looked just like every other expression he usually made. Nothing. His perfect porcelain like face didn't change a bit; he simply stared at her before gracefully folding himself into the passenger seat, making sure to sweep his hair to the side so it wouldn't get caught in the door. Kagome closed it behind him with a sigh of relief that she had gotten this far and ran around to the drivers side and slipped in beside him, closing the door behind her.

"This key," she held up the car key, "turns the car on so it'll make that growling sound," she stuck the key in the ignition and turned it on. Sesshomaru detested the way she was telling him all this stuff as if he was a child, however he was grateful for the growling warning as it did indeed sound like an animal or demon growling. Kagome rolled down both windows, knowing he probably felt rather caged, hoping the open windows would relieve some of the tension she saw wound so tightly in his body.

As Kagome put the car in drive and began their journey to the mall, she decided to do so silently and give him a reprieve from her "lessons" in her era. She actually felt guilty for speaking to him in such a … degrading manner. So instead of talking she let him stare out the window and soak in the sights as she drove.

Sesshomaru sat beside her, staring out the window at the alien world she was taking him into and submerged himself in his own thoughts. The miko's world was so different from what he had originally imagined. He didn't think it would be that much different, but then five hundred years is a long time. However, he did not believe the miko when she said there were probably no demons around. Already he could feel faint auras as they drove along the bizarre looking streets filled with people of all sorts, but he figured that they hid their presence in such a ningens dominated world. How in Kami's name could the roles have been reversed so?

He continued his musings as the scenery changed and the buildings became more closely packed together. Their silence gave him the opportunity to turn his thoughts inward to the things that had been troubling him. Namely Rin. Whenever he thought of Jaken, his loyal retainer, it was never with more than a passing feeling that he had served his usefulness and had served it well albeit with more annoyance than should have been necessary. His time had simply come. However, when his thoughts alighted on the little bubble of energy that had always clung to him he got the most painful clenching in his chest. Briefly he wondered if it was that coffee stuff that had done something to him, but although he knew it possessed an ingredient that he recognized was an energizer for most ningens, it didn't do much to affect him. So it wasn't that.

This feeling was disturbing to him because it was so foreign, much like the scenery all around him. He felt lost and confused, feelings he detested for their very properties. It wasn't his pride he was feeling because he knew what it felt like to have his pride injured and that wasn't it. Pride, however, was responsible for his initial loss of control during the battle. It was completely unlike him to lose control like that. But why was that such an injury to his pride? Did the human child cast a spell on him? Was something wrong with him? Everything in him had raged, livid that he'd failed to protect what was his. And she _was_ his. After mulling it over in his mind for quite a while, he began to admit to himself that he had felt a fatherly pride toward the girl and that her loss created just that. A loss in his life. A Rin shaped hole that couldn't be filled by anyone else. He grudgingly admitted to himself that he would miss her persistent presence by his side and studied himself fiercely to discover when exactly that change had come over him.

He was still deep in thought when the movement of the car slowed and come to a stop. Looking around him, he realized they were outside a large building of some sort with people everywhere. Kagome pointed at the door handle on his side and pulled the mirror image of it on her own and the door popped open to let her out. He mimicked her movement and exited the car, grateful to finally be out if its confines and in the open again.

Surveying his surroundings, he found himself to be in a field of unyielding black material filled with lots of "cars" she had called them, but each one looked different from the rest. _Kind of the way all horses appear different_, he reasoned with himself. Kagome smiled at him genuinely and motioned for him to follow her, waiting for him to fall into step beside her before she began to speak.

"I figured it would be best to go to the men's store and get you some decent clothing and shoes first before we did anything else, after that I planned show you around the rest of the mall and then take you around Tokyo." Sesshomaru gave her the barest of nods, looking rather bored with it all when he was in reality resisting the urge to stare all around him in interest like a school boy on his first day out of the classroom.

They entered the building and he allowed himself to glance around at he high ceiling decorated in glass and the lavish amount of plants in pots everywhere. The amount of people wandering this _mall_ disturbed him, but his bored expression never left his features. Outwardly, he looked as if he'd been there a million times. Kagome marveled at his calm acceptance of the place as she quickly steered them into the men's store, trying desperately to ignore the odd stares they were receiving and the lustful glances many of the women around gave the tall demon at her side.

_Hoo-boy_, she thought as they reached the relative safety of the men's department. Kagome sifted through the racks with Sesshomaru close in tow. They browsed through the section together, though it was more Kagome leading and Sesshomaru following silently, giving his opinion when asked, not that it made a whole lot of a difference. They ended up picking out several nice shirts, a few pairs of pants, socks, undergarments and a nice pair of shoes. On a whim, Kagome grabbed a few nicer t-shirts and a few pairs of workout pants that closely resembled swordsman attire, an idea occurring to her. Those she kept on her while she readied the others for Sesshomaru to try on while they headed toward the dressing room.

"Well, aren't we tall, pale and handsome today?" came an overly cheery and definitely femininely lilted male voice. A sales clerk dressed in a form fitting suit approached the pair, looking Sesshomaru up and down appraisingly, giving Kagome the creeps.

"What can I help you with? Anything I can help you try on?" he continued suggestively making Kagome shudder involuntarily.

"No, we're alright thank you. He just wanted to try these on to make sure they fit properly, but I'm sure he can manage on his own," Kagome cut in, hoping to make the flirtatious man go away.

"Oh but _Sweetheart_," he said dramatically, "a man if his _caliber_ can't be dressed in just anything!" Putting limp hand on Sesshomaru's bicep, he attempted to steer the demon lord into the dressing room, "We must get you dressed, just come with me," he began, but never got the chance to finish.

"If you do not remove your hand from my person this instant I will remove it from your wrist," Kagome groaned slightly and the man jumped back as if he'd been burned. Holding her face in her hand, she held out her outfit choices to the demon and gestured to the men's room once her hand was free of the garments. Sesshomaru disappeared into the dressing room once he had the clothes but not before leveling the clerk with a look of death.

The clerk shivered dramatically and ran a tapered finger down one cheek.

"What an absolutely cold and gorgeous man," he said more to himself than the woman standing off to the side.

"Yes, well he's also absolutely straight and absolutely unavailable," she retorted, disgusted with the man. He threw her a look of scorn, crossed his arms over his flat chest and stuck one hip out to the side.

"Oh, and I suppose you think he's taken by you, right?" he practically spat at her.

"No, actually he's taken by himself. He's the only one good enough for him." Sesshomaru chose that moment to emerge from the dressing room in one of the outfits she had chosen for him and leveled her with a frosty glare. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Oh you know it's true, so don't even look at me like that!" she then took the time to appraise his appearance and had to admit she'd never seen anyone look more delicious in her entire life.

He was wearing a deep blue button down shirt with the top two buttons undone, exposing well shaped collar bones and his elegantly long neck. The shirt fit perfectly, showing a hint of the well muscled body beneath it here and there. It tucked in at the waist where a pair of black dress pants began with a black leather belt encircling his lean hips defining them even more. On his feet were a pair of black shoes that were comfortable, with good soles, but still looked appropriate for the outfit. All in all, he looked amazing.

Kagome clapped her hands excitedly, and nodded in approval earning herself an elegantly raised silver eyebrow. Both of them ignored the sales clerk who literally had to pick his jaw up of the floor and wipe the drool from his chin. Sesshomaru pointedly stared at Kagome.

"This is appropriate then?" Kagome nodded vigorously.

"The others fit?" she asked and he nodded, "good, we'll have you wear that and put the clothes you came in inside the bag instead." Reaching up to remove the tag from the shirt, her hand lightly brushed against his silver hair and then his neck, and she couldn't help reveling in how soft his skin felt when he was hard as steel underneath. Quickly squashing this line of thought, she removed the tag from his shirt, pants, belt and shoes and held on to them as they brought those and the rest of their purchases to the counter.

The sales clerk managed to pick himself up enough to hurry over to the counter and push away the female clerk currently gaping at the vision of silver and blue in order to ring them up himself. The other clerk shot him an annoyed glance but he ignored her as he finished the transaction. Kagome paid with the card and before he slipped her receipt in the bag he jotted down a number on the back then looked at Sesshomaru suggestively.

"If you ever get lonely, you know where to _come_," he began, but Kagome didn't let him finish, she grabbed the bag and Sesshomaru's hand and dragged him from the store before the demon lord could explode and kill the clerk, not caring if he was mad at her touching him.

Sesshomaru let himself be dragged by the hand from the store, leveling his most cold stare, usually reserved for those he was about to horribly maim at the clerk, telling him exactly how lucky he was to be alive. The clerk paled and shrank back, completely ignoring the female clerk yelling at him for pushing her out of the way when such a gorgeous guy was coming up to the counter.

To say Sesshomaru was upset would be a gross understatement. Glaring ahead of him once the clerk was out of sight, he even failed to realize that his own hand was still clasped in that of the young woman's and she was still dragging him along. He knew he needed something to calm him down and ripping someone to shreds was probably not an option. Though he wasn't entirely sure of the customs in this era, he was pretty sure he wasn't allowed to kill ningens at will. Although the next best thing presented itself when he finally took a deep breath.

"Coffee," he said icily, surprising Kagome and making her stop and look back at him questioningly, "coffee. Now." Comprehension dawned on her face and she smiled in relief. She was confident now that he wasn't going to kill anyone.

"Sure! The coffee shop is over here in the food court," she said turning and pulling him along. After a moment he realized she still held onto him and at first he thought of extricating himself and berating her for touching him, but then decided against it, remembering it was still her world and he simply let her do what she felt was needed. However he would not be dragged along like some dog on a leash.

Extending his long legged stride, he sided up to her easily and matched pace with her, surprising the little miko that he was holding her hand and walking along side of her as if it were perfectly natural. Slightly weirded out that Sesshomaru was acting like a normal man and not the cold, stoic demon he usually was she turned away and scanned the full food court, spotting the coffee shop and leading him in that direction.

Kagome couldn't suppress the flush that came to her cheeks at all the looks they were getting. Men and women stared at the odd couple, mostly at the taller of the two, though the majority of the looks thrown at Kagome were ones of intense jealousy. Sesshomaru's knee-length silver hair swayed back and forth with his long strides, his bangs parted slightly to show the blue crescent moon that stood out proudly against his pale skin and the magenta stripes running down from his ear across each cheek only accentuated his strong jaw and perfect high cheek bones. Kagome felt ugly and plain next to the ethereal beauty of the demon lord.

As if sensing her unease and interpreting it wrong, he automatically pulled her closer to him, removing his hand from her grasp and placing it instead at the small of her back. Kagome felt herself get slightly light headed from their closeness and didn't miss the evil stares sent her way by almost every woman in their vicinity. As if it was bad enough that she could actually _feel _their jealousy before, of course he had to react protectively, only ensuring their further envy and loathing. Ignoring them, she and Sesshomaru stepped up to the coffee counter and ordered their drinks, waiting a few moments before receiving them and sitting down at a table on the edge of the food court.

Sesshomaru's behavior further confused her when he didn't slide into the seat across the table from her like she had expected him to. He slid into the booth seat right next to her, his arm brushing against hers as he lifted his coffee to his lips and sipped elegantly, _like anything he ever does ISN'T elegant,_ she thought sarcastically and shifted in her seat nervously, staring down at the coffee cup clasped between her hands on the table.

Setting his coffee down, he shifted in his seat so he was slightly turned toward her, lifted one long fingered, deadly clawed hand and swept her hair back from her face and ear gently, mindful not to nick her with his claws. His knuckles brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck when he did this and tingles ran down her spine at the sensation he caused. Her heart leapt into her throat when she felt him lean down close to the ear he'd exposed, his hand resting on the seat behind her, holding her hair back and whispered in her ear, his warm breath playing across the sensitive skin of her hear and neck sending more pleasurable shivers down her spine. Oh what in Kami's name was he _doing_ to her?

"What has you so nervous?" A light blush tinged her cheeks and her neck felt hot. "Your heartbeat doubled its pace as we approached our table and has remained that way. What's wrong?" Kagome was stymied that he had even bothered to ask and mentally cursed demons and their infinitely superior hearing. Sesshomaru's thoughts ran along the same lines as hers except for the cursing his own hearing part. He had no idea what possessed him to act the way he was, but her nervousness was intensely bothering to him and he wanted to know what caused it. He didn't understand the nuances of this world yet and the nervousness of his guide did not bode well. The strategist in him demanded knowledge of a situation he couldn't comprehend on his own. She clearly knew something he didn't. And Kami knows, when Sesshomaru wants to know something, he's going to find out one way or another.

Kagome shifted nervously and Sesshomaru remained where he was making Kagome acutely aware of their close proximity and could feel the heat radiating off his body. Somehow his closeness didn't bother her as much as she thought it would and with him so near, even suppressed, his aura still surrounded her and comforted her, which struck her as strange seeing as she was a miko and he was a demon. One would think their auras would reject each other.

The little miko looked up at the demon lord and almost started at how close their faces were, her vision was practically filled with molten pools of amber and her response got stuck somewhere between her voice box and her mouth. Before she was able to completely force her response out a loud familiar voice broke their spell.

"Kagome! Oh my Kami! Kagome! Are you alright? What are you doing here? Have you gotten over your gastrointestinal anastomosis?" Kagome was going to have to congratulate her grandfather on that one. "How come you didn't come to school today?" Suddenly the pair was surrounded by the eager, questioning faces of her three friends who couldn't seem to stop asking questions long enough for the poor flabbergasted girl to answer. Eri, Ayumi and Yuka, her friends from high school stopped their incessant questioning when they realized the _man_, not high schooler or teenager but definitely adult man, was glaring at them coolly as if they had interrupted something important.

Eri plopped down into the booth across from the couple and was followed quickly by the other two, the three girls managing to squeeze their slim bodies together into the small booth and started in on the still silent Kagome.

"So where have you been? Your grandfather told us you were sick again and wouldn't be back in school. You've been gone for a while. And who's this, may I ask?" she finally finished gesturing to the stoic demon lord.

"No you may not ask," he cut in coldly causing all the girls to stare at him with their mouths open. Kagome jumped in quickly to appease the situation.

"Guys, it's nice to see you again. I'm sorry I haven't called you all, but besides being sick I had a lot of makeup work to do," she began. Sesshomaru took note of the blatant lie, but made no comment, thinking to ask her about it later. "And this," she said gesturing to the man next to her, "is Sesshomaru-sama, InuYasha's older half brother." Now the girl's jaws really hit the floor.

"_HIS OLDER HALF BROTHER!_" they squealed together, making both demon and human cringe. Kagome opened her mouth to give them part of the explanation, leaving out quite a bit of course when she felt Eri grab her hand and begin dragging her out of the booth. "Come with us, we have to talk to you!" Eri began, tugging on her friend's hand when she felt strong, deceivingly slender fingers grip her wrist in just the right place to make her entire hand go numb and let go of Kagome's hand before tossing her hand away as if in disgust.

Eri looked up to find a very angry silver haired man glaring at her and her cohorts with one protective arm around their enigma of a friend.

"She is going nowhere. She stays with me," he stated with finality. Kagome turned to Sesshomaru desperately trying to avoid confrontation.

"No, it's alright, Sesshomaru-sama. I need to use the restroom and they can escort me so you can stay here and finish your coffee." She smiled at him weakly and he had no choice but to just nod and turn back to his coffee in what she took to be a huff.

Would he never cease to confuse her? She felt a tug on her arm and hesitantly got up and followed her friends to the restroom, wondering nervously what they wanted to talk to her about so badly.


	8. Chapter 8

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Thank you guys for the awesome reviews! My story is kind of writing itself and reading all your encouragement every day really helps a lot! Just as a warning, there will be future lemons but not for quite a while. This is going to turn out to be a very long story and because of who Sesshomaru is, it won't be very easy to actually get the two of them together. Friends? Maybe. Lovers? More difficult. You'll just have to keep reading! BTW, Sessho was being difficult in this chapter, so don't hate me for the ending! *ducks*

Chapter 8

Kagome was ushered into the bathroom hastily by three eager high schoolers who then cornered the poor girl and began firing questions at her as fast as they could. Finally Eri won over the questions contest and got the other girls to be silent.

"Kagome, what on earth is going on! Last we knew, you had fixed some of your problems and were steady with InuYasha. Now you're hanging out with his _much _older, though infinitely sexier, half brother?" Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly and her head drooped hiding her eyes behind her bangs. She knew it had been coming, but telling it again was no less painful. She simply would change some facts and leave out others.

"InuYasha died in a very bad accident only a few days ago. Sesshomaru and I didn't really know each other much before the accident and weren't really friends. But after it happened, we both needed someone to talk to, so we've become a little closer lately and have been kind of helping each other through this." Immediately she was engulfed in three pairs of arms.

"Oh, Kagome! We're so sorry! That must have been horrible for you!" Having had enough of their schmoozing, she extricated herself from them with some difficulty and managed to gain some space back.

Not wanting to talk about InuYasha anymore she avoided their questions of what happened and how by simply saying she wasn't really ready to talk about it with anyone yet and that she talked to Sesshomaru-sama about it because he had been present like she had and it was easier to comfort one another.

"But Kagome," Ayumi interjected, "it didn't look much like he was 'comforting' you when we came up. Are you sure you guys aren't more intimate than that? You looked really comfortable together and he was unrealistically protective of you." Kagome flushed deeply.

"He was just whispering something to me as you came up so no one else would hear, and no, nothing intimate is going on between us. Far from it actually! He's a rather cold person and doesn't warm up to people easily due to bad things that have gone on in his past. And as for being over protective of me, I think that can be attributed to the fact that his adopted daughter was in the accident as well and was killed. Losing her was quite a blow to him. I think he might be afraid of losing someone else." That earned heartfelt cries from all three of the girls. First cries of surprise that the cold man actually adopted a little girl and then cries of sadness that he had lost her at the same time as his half brother.

Once all had settled down again, conversation continued.

"You mentioned bad things in his past, maybe he's someone you shouldn't get mixed up with. I mean, did you see his tattoos?" Yuki looked in confusion at the others, obviously having missed them somehow and not surprising the other girls a bit with this fact.

"I don't know," Eri started in, "maybe he was a gang member or a gang leader or something and he might get you wrapped up in that kinda bad stuff too," Eri looked at Kagome dubiously. The miko in question was starting to get very annoyed.

"They're not tattoos! They're…" she almost blurted out _they're his birthright and inheritance!_ But there's no way to explain that without giving too much away. "Well, ok so I don't know what they are, but I know he's no gang member! He's too honorable for that!" Eri and Ayumi looked at their friend doubtfully but Kagome waved them off.

"Whatever, he's probably upset that I haven't come back yet, so I'm heading back to our table." Kagome closed the conversation and marched out of the bathroom with the girls in tow. They chatted idly about school gossip until they reached the table where Sesshomaru sat with an empty coffee cup glaring up at Kagome in irritation clearly asking without speaking where on earth she had been for so long.

Kagome turned to her friends and said quick good byes before shooing them on their way. With that done, she slid into the seat next to Sesshomaru with a sigh of relief before steeling herself and turning to the irritated demon lord. Before she could speak Sesshomaru started in.

"Do you know what happened to me while you have been gone?" he asked in clipped tones. Kagome's wide eyes showed her confusion and she just stared at him. Slips of paper slid into the space between their faces and Kagome had to practically cross her eyes to see them properly before taking them from him and thumbing through them. There had to be at least a dozen slips of paper all with at least one, sometimes two or three names and numbers on them. Kagome glanced up at him in slight confusion.

"The moment you left the table almost every female in the area decided to pay me a visit." Realization dawned on her face. These were numbers of girls who wanted to date him! Kagome couldn't hold it in. For the first time in over twenty-four hours she laughed. Not a light or fake laugh, she laughed a deep, cleansing laughter that made her feel as if a huge burden lifted off her shoulders. Sesshomaru glared at her.

"I fail to see what is so amusing."

"Do you know what these mean?" she asked him while wiping tears from her eyes with her free hand. "These mean that these girls want you to contact them so that you will court them," she said trying to use terms she thought he might understand.

"Oh, those _females_ wanted me to do much more than just COURT them," he said sourly, still glaring down at her. Kagome burst into another fit of laughter and had to place a hand over her aching ribcage. She hadn't laughed this hard in some time and it felt really good.

Sesshomaru for his part felt his irritation begin to fade away with each passing moment. The lord didn't relish being the brunt of her amusement, but it seemed he couldn't remain mad with her beautiful laughter drifting up to him like soothing music. The woman in question looked up at him and wiped her eyes again before trying to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru! I didn't think something like that would happen in just the short time I was gone. I won't leave you alone with the scary women again, I promise," she said teasingly, giving him a conspiratorial smile.

Normally Sesshomaru would have been angry at the female for her insinuating that he couldn't protect himself, but oddly, he found her remark amusing because deep down, no, he wouldn't have minded terribly if she _had_ come and saved him. This amused him particularly because usually it was the other way around. Outwardly, his appearance never changed, his expression had softened slightly, but his emotionless mask was still in place, inside however he had cracked the slightest smile at her antics. The same smile that was cracked whenever Rin used to do particularly amusing things to his poor retainer.

Kagome watched the demon lord carefully, noticing the subtle nuances in the light behind his deep golden eyes and began to understand the meaning behind each one. She gleaned from his eyes that he was not angry at her for her comment, quite the contrary, he seemed to almost be amused, and that alone made her feel happier than she had in days.

Rising from the table together, they decided they had experienced enough of the mall to keep them both away from it for days and headed out to the car. Sesshomaru kept her close by his side the whole way out and only left her to cross to his side of the car. Once she unlocked the doors she deposited the bags in the back she climbed in after seeing that Sesshomaru had maneuvered himself into the car with an ease that made it look like he'd done it for centuries.

The new world still unnerved him quite a bit. The strange noises and the way sound bounced off the buildings around confused him and his sense of direction quite a bit, but he was quickly becoming accustomed to his overloaded senses. Which was a very good thing, because without his senses he was severely hampered.

At first as they drove away from the mall, Kagome wondered where to take him next as she had promised to show him about the city a little. Quickly she decided on parking in the city and taking a walk around downtown and through one of the little parks nearby.

Kagome carefully parked the car and got out motioning for Sesshomaru to follow suit before locking the car and linking her arm in his companionably and leading him down the street. The pair spent the day poking around the street vendors, wandering around down town enjoying the good weather. Kagome explained things around town when he seemed not to understand and they walked in peace despite some of the stares, scornful insults from older people and lustful stares from younger.

They walked quietly through the park which Sesshomaru enjoyed more than he would ever admit. Even spending one day in her completely cement covered world was getting a bit much for him. He missed the trees, the smell of the wild and the feeling of nature all around him. The park was a very small reprieve from the harshness of the city all around him, but it was welcome none-the-less.

The sun finally began it's descent into twilight and they wandered in somewhat amicable silence to the car in order to head home.

Kagome and Sesshomaru arrived home just before her mother did. They all exchanged greetings and stories of how their days went, though Sesshomaru remained silent as he usually does when he feels no need to speak.

"Kagome, this morning before I left I moved some stuff around in the extra upstairs room and left a roll out futon up there as well. Sesshomaru-sama is welcome to the room as long as he is willing to stay," she said looking over at him. Sesshomaru locked eyes with the woman and nodded briefly. Mrs. Higurashi smiled and stood to prepare dinner.

The miko headed upstairs with their purchases and Sesshomaru followed soon after her. When he entered the small but cozy room he found Kagome removing the tags from his new clothing and hanging them neatly in the closet while folding the others and setting them in empty drawers. Curiously, she kept the workout pants separated from the rest and picked them up as she turned to the demon.

"Would you like to come downstairs with me and watch some TV?" she asked, already having realized he didn't know what a TV was or why you would watch it, so she smiled at him and slipped past him, knowing he would follow her downstairs. Souta was still upstairs finishing his homework, so they had free reign of the TV. Kagome snatched her sewing kit off a shelf in the living room and settled down on the sofa. Sesshomaru sat down next to her, though left plenty of room between the two of them as she grabbed the remote and flipped the TV on.

"This is called a television," she explained as pictures began to flash across the screen. "We call it TV for short, but it's an electronic device that picks up signals from another source and translates the signal waves using pixels into moving pictures." Sesshomaru stared at the strange box deep in thought.

"Signals… kind of like those higher pitched waves I am able to detect on occasion? I'm picking up a few coming from the box itself." Kagome nodded slightly.

"Yes, those are called frequencies in my era." Briefly she explained frequencies, radio waves and how they translate into different mediums like radio and television. Sesshomaru listened in rapt silence, soaking up all the information she was telling him and storing it away for later. Her world fascinated him and he attributed his lack of coldness toward the miko as his feeling slightly lost in a world he knew almost nothing about.

He himself was disturbed at his incapability to act like _himself_ in her presence. Constantly he felt himself letting go of his cold nature and kept feeling perplexed when around her. The girl in question had taken up a sewing needle and watched the television while she began doing something to the pants she had purchased earlier. What exactly, he wasn't entirely sure.

Determining to ignore her, he turned to the _TV_ and watched the pictures flashing across it. Quickly he became very bored and the false light of the box began to hurt his sensitive eyes so he rose silently and padded just as silently out of the room.

Kagome looked up as he left, but then just shrugged and let him do as he wished. They had been in each other's company all day and she figured she'd leave him to his own devices for now.

Sesshomaru silently made his way into the kitchen where Mrs. Higurashi was working on dinner. She looked up as he entered and smiled. Sesshomaru settled down at the table and within moments there was a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.

"So, Sesshomaru-sama," she began, turning back to her work on the counter, "if you wouldn't mind or be offended by my inquiry, won't you please tell me some about yourself? Kagome's mentioned you a few times in her short trips home, but it was only in passing and simply as a very strong enemy," she looked up at him with a genuinely interested smile. As he watched her, he realized she had quickly gained his respect for her quiet, unassuming wisdom and her genuine interest in him as a person and not in what she could get out of him. He stared at her for some time, wondering what on earth she wanted him to tell her. Finally he decided to just start where he could.

"I was born into the noble youkai family of the west, first son of Inu No Taisho and Mizuki. My childhood consisted of training to become the next taiyoukai of the west. Once I became old enough, I began to follow my father and learn from his teachings. However, after my mother died of a sudden illness, father took a new wife, Izayoi, a human hime. In the ensuing months, she became pregnant with his child and disputes began to arise. Her family and former suitor did not take kindly to their hime carrying a 'mononoke,' a child of a demon. On the night she was to give birth, my father was injured while sealing a demon of incredible power. Even though he was almost fatally injured, he rushed to Izayoi's side to ensure she was in no danger. The hime safely gave birth to my half brother, InuYasha, however, father did not survive the fight. The building was set on fire and collapsed on him and his adversary before the fight was finished." Mrs. Higurashi listened while she worked, but she stopped at this and looked up at the taiyoukai sadly.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," she said with her heart in her eyes, "how old were you?" she turned to face him, wiping her hands on her apron. Sesshomaru had no idea why he was telling her all this, but he felt from her a comforting, motherly aura he had not felt since his own mother had died. He felt like he could tell her anything and she would not judge him as others would. All through her aura he could sense twinges of miko power and assumed she was where Kagome got her abilities from.

"I was a young adult in human terms, though I was around five hundred years old in actual years," he said quietly, "demons develop differently than humans. For example, InuYasha appeared to be the same age as your daughter in both looks and mental maturity; however he was in reality around seventy years old." Mrs. Higurashi nodded in understanding.

"That must have been horrible for you," Sesshomaru merely shrugged one elegant shoulder.

"After that I became Lord of the Western Lands," Kagome came silently to the door holding a bundle of cloth and stopped to listen, Sesshomaru heard her, but made no indication he had, "I was challenged by every demon who thought they could defeat me and take my title because no one thought a mere adolescent demon could rule efficiently over the entire west." He didn't bother to state the fact as it was obvious that he had been triumphant and kept his own title. It also allowed him to avoid going into gory detail on how he managed to keep the title and earn the fear and respect of all those around him, also winning him the title inadvertently of strongest demon. A title he didn't mind at all possessing, but Mrs. Higurashi didn't need to know that. He sipped his coffee.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded in more understanding than he realized and looked up at her daughter who still stood in the doorway.

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, sweetheart," she said with a smile before returning to her work and humming lightly. Kagome smiled at her mother and turned to the silver haired man at the table. She held out the bundle of cloth.

"I made some alterations to these and I was wondering if you could please try them on? There's a t-shirt in the drawer that matches the color, I'm sure you'd be more comfortable in them." Sesshomaru looked at her for a moment before rising smoothly and taking the garments from her. A questioning look shot through his eyes for a split second before it was smothered by his usual bored look. Kagome smiled and stepped back to allow him to pass and head up the stairs.

Once he had left the room Kagome sat down at the kitchen table and chatted with her mother about her goings on in the feudal era and what had been happening at home.

Sesshomaru entered his guest room and closed the door behind him. Quickly ridding himself of his current pants and shirt, he hung them in the closet as he had seen Kagome do and then held up the pants she had been working on for his inspection. Looking at the front of them he saw no difference in them than before, but when he flipped them over he stared at them in shock and his eyes widened a fraction.

If he ever considered smiling, he would have grinned at that moment. He couldn't believe she had actually thought of that. Perhaps he underestimated the little miko. With a barely suppressed sigh of relief, he let his tail re-emerge and drape across the floor. Slipping the pants on he pulled them up snugly. Kagome had altered the back of the pants, creating a hole right where his tailbone ended, allowing his tail to exit the back of the pants and then adding a closure at the waist band with a button in order to cover him decently. It was an ingenious design and it allowed him to leave his tail out in comfort without exposing himself.

He coiled his tail in its customary position over his right shoulder and he stroked it in an automatic unconscious reaction. His tail was actually quite a comfort to him and walking around without it during the day had made him feel naked, only further exaggerating the sensation due to the thin, barely decent clothing she had made him wear. Not that the t-shirt and pants were any better, but at least they were loose fitting and didn't cling to him like a second skin.

Satisfied that his appearance was the best he could manage, he once again descended the stairs and rejoined the two women conversing in the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi looked up as he entered and smiled, Kagome having explained while he was gone that he had a tail and that she had altered pants for him.

"You look much more comfortable, Sesshomaru-sama," she said with a smile. Sesshomaru nodded and sat down at the table again, noticing that Mrs. Higurashi had refilled his coffee cup. Mrs. Higurashi announced that dinner was ready and set things out to eat. Sesshomaru politely refused dinner, at Mrs. Higurashi's questioning glance, he simply said, "I don't eat human food." It was a little rude, he admitted, but it was the truth.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded and smiled her understanding. Kagome's grandfather had been taking a nap when they got home and came downstairs then after Souta had woken him up. He lumbered into the kitchen and started, his wrinkled eyes like saucers as they focused on the silver haired apparition.

"DEMON!" Grabbing an ofuda from his shirt (he always seemed to have tons of the stupid things on him) he slapped one on Sesshomaru's forehead and shouted, "DEMON BEGONE!" Everyone held their breath, not because they feared for Sesshomaru, but because they feared for Grandfather.

Sesshomaru reached up and peeled the piece of paper from his forehead with long elegant fingers. Briefly he looked at the paper expressionlessly. Green flashed from his fingers and the paper disappeared, disintegrated with his poison claws. He looked up at her grandfather who dropped back a step nervously.

"Ofuda's do not work on me, Grandfather. Try something stronger next time." Everyone's mouths fell open, he wasn't even annoyed! Mrs. Higurashi broke the silence with her laughter and soon everyone save Sesshomaru followed suit. Kagome couldn't believe it, had he told a joke? Or was he serious? Soon the laughter died down and everyone sat down to dinner. Sesshomaru didn't eat with them, but he sat at the table politely with his coffee while everyone else ate.

After dinner, Sesshomaru disappeared upstairs while Mrs. Higurashi made herself busy cleaning the kitchen and Kagome's grandfather made himself comfortable in the living room. Momentarily he reappeared with his swords and silently left the house. Souta jumped up from his video game excitedly. He had always enjoyed watching InuYasha practice and he was eager to see how his older brother compared.

Kagome smiled at her brother's antics and headed upstairs to look over some of her make up work for school. She had done quite a bit in the feudal era, but a lot of time had passed since she was last in school and if she hoped to keep up with the rest of the class she needed to work on it some more. As she worked she heard the high pitched song of a blade as it cut through the air more quickly than a human can comprehend.

After an hour of studying she sat back and looked out the window. Sesshomaru was still out in the courtyard of the shrine, his sword singing in the light breeze, the metal glinted in the fading light of the sun. Closing her books she pushed back her chair and stood. Before heading downstairs she changed into a more comfortable t-shirt and shorts and headed outside. Her brother was sitting under the god tree so she joined him and they watched Sesshomaru move through his practice routine like a liquid dancer on fast forward. Souta leaned close to Kagome and whispered.

"He's much faster than InuYasha was," Kagome nodded with a slight smile knowing that though Souta had whispered Sesshomaru had heard every word.

"Yes, Souta, that's because he's a full demon, where as InuYasha was only a half demon, a hanyou." Souta nodded, his eyes wide as he watched Sesshomaru's movements that were only a blur to them both.

Suddenly Sesshomaru stopped his one person dance and turned to face the pair sitting underneath the god tree.

"Miko, do you know how to use a sword?" he questioned.

"Kagome. No I don't," she answered, miffed that he still couldn't seem to bring himself to call her anything other than "woman" or "miko."

"You mean InuYasha never taught you anything," he asked with a tiny hint of incredulity. Kagome sighed.

"InuYasha felt it was unnecessary because he was always there to protect me, and if not then I could protect myself with my bow and arrows," she said with a slight roll to her eyes. Sesshomaru stared at her for a long moment before speaking.

"I will teach you then, miko." His proposal caught her off guard.

"Kagome, and it's not necessary," he narrowed his eyes at her, making her very uncomfortable. Lifting his arm he pointed his blade at her chest.

"How do you expect to protect that jewel if you cannot even defend yourself with basic swordsmanship?" Kagome sighed again in exasperation.

"I can defend myself just fine, you saw the battle with Naraku," she began and he scoffed at her.

"That was pure luck. You had no idea if you could completely kill Naraku. It was a desperate attempt on your part. You had nothing left, no one else to protect you, so your _untrained_ miko powers flared up and you managed somehow to channel them," he said looking down at her scornfully. "I would not depend on luck like that again if I were you, miko." Kagome was starting to get really angry, where had the nice guy she had walked around all day with gone and when had 'Sesshomaru the asshole' come back?

Kagome's fists balled at her sides as she stood to face the arrogant demon lord, her aura began to glow around her in a light pink. Souta decided it was time he started playing video games again and he snuck away and into the house. This would be ugly and he didn't want to see it.

"How dare you assume that I _need_ you to train me and that I cannot take care of myself!" she practically shouted at him, "I was doing just fine before you came along and I'll be just as fine once you're gone!" golden eyes narrowed further in her direction, "And _further more_, I will NOT be referred to anything other than my NAME! My name is Ka-go-me!"

Faster than she could suck in breath she was slammed hard against the ground, knocking the wind completely out of her and making her vision swim. A very angry demon lord crouched on top of her, claws at her throat, his palm flat against her windpipe; she didn't even know when he had the time to sheathe his sword.

"_Woman_, if you're so strong, then defend yourself now. You would already be dead if I so desired it and you would never have seen it coming." The acrid smell of poison stung her nostrils and her heart rate increased even more. She clawed at the arm pinning her down futilely, the lack of air beginning to make her desperate.

Kagome felt her miko powers surge around her and her body began to glow bright pink. Unexpectedly, she felt Sesshomaru's own youki surround her and begin to overpower her miko aura. Sesshomaru had let the full power of his youki emerge and his eyes tinged red at the corners.

The little miko felt her energy, though probably a match for his in strength, begin to be smothered simply because she didn't know how to use it to push his back. She was being suffocated in more ways than one. Detachedly, because she was beginning to lose conscious she felt him lean down close to her ear.

"You see, little _miko_, you are powerless without training. Pathetic. You would be a fool to refuse an offer like mine," feeling far away from her own body due to her lack of air she thought sarcastically _only because it's an offer HE made, the arrogant jerk._

Suddenly the pressure on her windpipe was gone and she greedily sucked in lungfuls of air. The incredibly strong youki receded and his presence above her disappeared. She lay there gasping for a few moments before sitting up. Sesshomaru stood back where he had been before looking down his elegant nose at her. Kagome glared at him and rubbed her abused neck.

"Fine, I will train with you on the condition that you call me Kagome and not 'miko' or 'woman,'" she said continuing to glare at the lord.

"You will train with me regardless," he stated haughtily, "and you will not cross me again or there will be more severe consequences." Kagome sighed resignedly. She could tell this was going to suck.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Sesshomaru's mother's name: Mizuki means beautiful moon. I thought it fitting.


	9. Chapter 9

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Not enough time to address some of them, but I wanted to get a chapter up today! Let me know what you all think!

Chapter 9

They hadn't been able to practice that day because they had no sword for Kagome to use. Toujikin would have possessed her the moment she laid finger on the hilt and Tenseiga was a healing sword, not a fighting sword. Her grandfather however had been quick to say he had several in the shrine they could choose from the following day. _Great_, Kagome thought. _Instead of helping me get out of this, everyone else thinks it's a great idea._ Kagome huffed to herself.

She had actually gone to school that day. Most of her makeup work had been finished and she felt it would be wise as well to show up since her friends has seen her in perfect health at the mall with Sesshomaru. The poor girl had been bombarded with questions ever since she stepped foot on the school grounds. It was finally close to the end of the school day and she ignored her friend's incessant questions and wondered what Sesshomaru was doing.

Her grandfather had said he would take the demon around the shrine partly to pick out a sword, but also partly just to keep the demon busy while she was out. Her mother was cleaning that day and Souta was at school, so that left her grandfather. She hoped he wasn't annoying the demon lord _too_ much. A snicker escaped her, _no_, she hoped he WAS annoying the stoic demon. It would serve him right.

"And _what,_ Higurashi, is so funny? If my calculus lesson is so amusing to you perhaps you'd like to come up front and demonstrate this equation to the class," her teacher asked from the front of the class, leaning on the corner of his desk and staring at her over his glasses in annoyance.

Kagome gulped from her seat and rose slowly. _Damn him! Stupid dog demon gets me in trouble even when he's not even around!_ She thought sourly as she headed sullenly to the front of the class.

Finally the last bell rang and Kagome leapt from her seat. She darted down the halls quickly partly to avoid anymore annoying questions and pressure for information from her friends and partly because she wanted to get home and make sure everything was alright.

Eri called to her from down the hall but she pretended not to hear and nearly jogged out the large glass doors at the front of the school and walked as quickly as she could toward the school yard's gate. She was almost home free when she her heart sank at the jingle of a bike bell.

"Higurashi!" she didn't even have to turn to know who the voice and the bell belonged to, but she slowed and turned anyways, stifling a sigh.

"Hi, Hojo," the upperclassman on the bike slowed to a stop next to her with a concerned look plastered all over his boyish face.

"How have you been, Higurashi? Your grandfather said you had rheumatitis and that we couldn't visit you, you've been out for quite some time." Oh boy. Grandfather needed to keep his illnesses straight. Kagome couldn't help but compare the poor boy unfairly to a certain tall, silver haired demon. Hojo was average in height, a little tall for his age with short brown hair, brown eyes and normal, tan tinted skin. All in all, he was _normal_ looking. Sesshomaru was anything but normal and only words like _exquisite_ would suit him. Her attention snapped back to Hojo who had continued talking while she spaced out.

"… and I thought that you'd like to come with me to the opening, it would be a lot of fun and most everyone is going to be there," he continued on oblivious to her inattention.

"Wait, what?" Hojo looked at her oddly.

"I said a new nightclub has opened in town and I was asking if you'd like to come out with me to the opening. Are you sure you're over your illness, Higurashi? You look a little pale…" Kagome interrupted him with a dismissive wave of her hand, thinking quickly.

"I'm fine, but I uh… I've uh… I'm going with someone else. I wish you had asked me sooner, Hojo," she said with what she hoped was convincing regret in her voice.

"Oh," he said somewhat dejectedly, "is it that guy that everyone saw you at the mall with? The one with all the tattoos and weird hair?" Kagome nearly fell over. She stuttered.

"Oh, um… uh… he's… uh…"

"You know people like that tend to be gang members and it sounds like he could be like a gang leader or something. You shouldn't hang out with people like that; they'll get you in trouble. So anyways, I guess I'll at least see you there then right?" Kagome nodded dumbly because she was too angry to say anything else. How _dare_ he insult Sesshomaru when he's never even met him before! _That's MY job!_ She waved goodbye to Hojo and turned and ran toward her house.

Kagome hadn't realized so many people had seen her at the mall with him. Or at least hadn't thought that her friends would spread something like that all around school. She'd have to call them and ask what was going on. On the way home she realized what she'd inadvertently done. Now she would have to make an appearance at the night club on opening night because she was sure other people had over heard her conversation and would be expecting her to show up with this mystery guy.

_Oh no_, she groaned inwardly as she reached the shrine steps and bounded up them, _how am I going to explain all this to Sesshomaru and then convince him to go and not kill everyone around. I don't think he's going to understand the concept of a night club. _Reaching the top she jogged across the yard and into the house, taking the stairs to her room two at a time.

Kagome had just set her things down on her desk and had begun sorting through her nightly work when the door slammed open nearly making her jump out of her skin. With a startled "eep!" she whirled around and faced the door. Sesshomaru stood there filling the entire doorway wearing a different pair of altered workout clothes from the ones he had on yesterday and a flush rose in her cheeks as he assessed her appearance.

"Miko, that will not do as a training outfit. Put on something more suitable. You will meet me outside in five minutes or I will come and get you regardless of if you're ready or not," with that he left and shut the door. Kagome leaned on her desk for a moment still breathing hard from her scare, then she began to get angry. Fuming she stormed around her room, removing her school uniform and changing into more "suitable training clothes" the whole time insulting the infuriating demon under her breath.

Sesshomaru stood outside in the courtyard with both his swords sheathed at his side waiting for her. He could hear her clearly since her window was open and he smirked at some of the creative insults she came up with for him. The demon had been bored out of his mind all day, but he was accustomed to such boredom. He bore it in silence and endured her grandfather's incessant babbling and history lessons, most of which he knew were wrong because he had actually lived through the event and knew first hand. The only positive result of his day was that he managed to find a suitable weapon for the woman to train with, though he knew that would not be seen as positive by the woman in question.

The lord was absolutely sure that Kagome secretly enjoyed the fact that she had doomed him to a day of complete mind numbing boredom with her grandfather while she was gone and he was determined to get her back for it. He would make sure it was thoroughly ingrained in her that she was not to cross him or subject him to treatment like that again and he nearly grinned in anticipation of the fun he would soon be having. Though momentarily his mouth creased downward slightly in a frown; he would have to make sure he didn't actually kill the girl. Oh, killing her was no problem and he could do it with no regrets in a heartbeat, bring her back with Tenseiga and kill her again. That might teach the girl a lesson, but he couldn't do that with her mother around. That would have to wait until either he was sure she wouldn't be home or they had a chance to visit the feudal era again.

Looking up at her window he knew the five minutes were past being up and he was starting to get irritated. He detected her scent still in the room, but he couldn't detect any movement. Leaping gracefully to perch in her window, he found her sitting on her bed with her arms crossed looking angrily at the window as if she'd been expecting him.

"I will not be treated like some servant who's beneath you. You will _not_ order me around and you will STOP calling me miko!" he dropped into the window and stepped toward her menacingly.

"You will do well to hold your tongue and be polite in my presence," his voice dropped lower and sounded like silk over steel, "do you wish a repeat of yesterday?" he asked taking another step forward. Kagome held her ground, though she was still sitting.

"You don't scare me and I don't care what you do to me. You will not treat me like I'm some slave in your employ that you can order around at will!" unexpectedly he lunged at her. Kagome gasped and threw her hands over her head, a barrier flew up around her and stopped his attack. The demon growled ferally and shattered the shield in a show of force. Kagome took his momentary distraction to dash for the door, but she didn't make it half way. She felt a clawed hand grab her from behind by her shoulder and slam her into the wall. Before she could even yelp out at the impact she was being yanked again. When she had a second to suck in breath she found herself tucked under the arm of a very angry demon who was currently leaping out the window of her room.

She felt him touch down in the courtyard and then was dumped unceremoniously on the hard stone ground, emitting a yelp as her rump made a rough impact. Her eyes traveled up the expanse of demon looming over her until she found his face and she glared at him hard. He just continued staring down at her coldly. Saying nothing he suddenly dropped something hard and metal into her lap, not caring if he hurt her and turned his back on her, moving a few paces away.

Kagome winced as the hard metal struck her on her thighs and looked down, her breath hitched in her throat slightly. In her lap was an old but beautiful katana. The hilt was made of an intertwining pearly white silk or similar material for it looked tougher and easier to grip than silk. The pommel and hilt were a shiny silver that caught the light and reflected it back in dazzling arrays. Her eyes traveled down the sheath which was lined in that same pearly silk material, it seemed to have subtle pastel colors reflecting through it, a little like a prism. Gripping the hilt gingerly, she pulled it gently and it slid easily from the sheath with the high pitched sound of metal against metal as it slid free. The blade was magnificent. Lighter than she had originally anticipated, the blade was almost a soft metallic blue color instead of the harsh iridescent silver of the pommel and the hilt. What most caught her attention about the blade however were the tiny runes she saw etched all along the blood groove. She recognized a few of them as holy symbols, but the others she couldn't seem to make out or recognize.

Looking up in confusion she saw Sesshomaru watching her as she explored the katana. He had been surprisingly silent through her examination and now she looked at him questioningly.

"Where did you find this? Sesshomaru stared at her for a moment.

"Your grandfather gave me the pleasure of his history lessons today, half of which are wrong I might add, and finally gave me the chance to peruse the arsenal of swords he had stashed away. That one," he pointed at the naked blade she still held, "was in the bottom of a chest way in the back of the storage room and he had not even known it was there." Kagome looked back down at the sword wonderingly. She had no idea such a beautiful weapon had been stashed back there.

"I hope, miko that even with your untrained powers, you have recognized the fact that the blade you hold was created for a miko to use. The sword itself holds holy power," Kagome glared up at the demon at his comment on her training, but in examining the sword she realized she felt a familiar hum through her hand, as if the hilt itself was exuding holy energy and her own were responding.

Suddenly it occurred to her that something didn't sound right with his explanation and she looked up at him questioningly.

"Wait, miko's don't use swords. They use a bow or a staff if need be, but mostly the weapon a miko uses when pressed is a bow and arrow. Why would a miko have a sword made specifically for her use?" she asked tilting her head to the side and studying the demon still standing before her.

"Obviously this miko decided she had need of a sword and she was an ancestor of yours, so it is only fitting that you use the sword as your own. Besides, Midoriko used a sword as well and she was a miko. She even wore armor if you will recall," Sesshomaru said haughtily as if these were things she should have known. Honestly, she admitted to herself, they were things she _did_ know, but had forgotten.

Cringing at her own stupidity, she sheathed the sword and got to her feet. Gingerly she tied the white cord around her waist in imitation of how Sesshomaru had Tōkijin around his own waist then looked up at her new mentor.

"Now if you are quite finished fooling around, we will finally begin," Sesshomaru said still looking down his nose at her even though she was standing. It didn't help that Kagome only came up to the youkai's chest when standing at her full height. _Great,_ she thought sarcastically, _this is gonna be fun._

The rest of the afternoon was spent learning stances, how to hold the katana properly, using the right hand to hold it and the left as simply a guide on the hilt, and learning basic swings. They practiced for at least two hours straight, the light of the setting sun warming their sides as Sesshomaru taught her and corrected her.

Sesshomaru was particularly hard on her because shortly after they began he realized she was a natural with a sword and picked up things not quite as quickly as he had when he was first learning, but close. He increased the pace of their lessons and was a brutal task master. Before they were finished he had her learning how to defend against attacks that he would bring against her.

Kagome was in the middle of trying to read a new attack by Sesshomaru and block it. Just as the demon lunged at her she brought her sword up to defend and…

"HIGURASHI!" her head snapped around in alarm and she missed blocking Sesshomaru's blade. She felt steel bite into her right wrist and cried out. Whirling back to face Sesshomaru she was met by a pair of angry molten gold pools.

"Never take your eyes off your adversary," he growled, she looked down at her wrist and then at Tōkijin. The demon blade had the barest hint of blood along one edge and her wrist sported a nice long but shallow gash on the top of her hand and a short distance up her forearm.

Within seconds before her astonished eyes, the little bit of blood on the edge of Tōkijin was tainted completely black by its evil nature and almost looked like it was absorbed into the blade, feeding on her miko blood.

Just then, the one person she hoped not to see came bounding up the stairs with a package wrapped in colorful paper cradled between his hands. Kagome quickly sheathed her sword and slid her injured hand behind her back, though she could feel the blood running down her wrist and fingers. There would be no opportunity to heal it until he was gone as the glow was sure to be noticed.

"Hi, Hojo," she said turning to him and squinting against the setting sun as he approached, "was there something you needed?" He stopped in front of her with an apologetic look on his face.

"Well, I thought you didn't look very well in school today and that you might need something to help you finish recovering so I brought you this," he finished handing the brightly wrapped package to her. Kagome took it with a dull smile.

"Oh, thank you Hojo, that was nice of you," she said with a dismissive smile, hoping he would take the hint and leave. No such luck, he noticed Sesshomaru standing behind her at that moment. He looked from Kagome to Sesshomaru and back again as if just noticing she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and that they both possessed swords. Sesshomaru continued to hold Tōkijin which glinted in the setting sunlight and stared coldly at the intruder.

Instantly Hojo recognized Sesshomaru from the descriptions he'd heard flying around school. He had assumed they were exaggerating, but now he could see it was actually opposite, things were worse than he thought. There was no way he could compete with someone like that. Sesshomaru was tall and obviously well muscled. Though he'd been working out his pale skin was porcelain and fine, accentuating his unusual "tattoos" and his knee length silver hair looked silky and perfect. Not a single blemish to be seen, save for the fact the man appeared to be missing his left arm from the bicep down. Hojo cleared his throat and turned back to Kagome.

"I didn't know you had taken up learning swordsmanship, when did that happen?" he asked trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice. Hojo felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He'd been after Kagome to date him for a long time and she never really seemed interested in men, until now that is.

"Oh, well, just recently actually," Kagome shifted from foot to foot, blood pooled in her palm as she tried to keep it from dripping on the ground. The wound was really beginning to sting and she wished Hojo would just leave. "I figured the exercise would be good for me after being sick so long, you know. But Sesshomaru-sama and I were in the middle of a lesson, so I guess I'll see you later?" she asked hoping to get him to leave. Hojo looked at her disappointedly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything," he bowed curtly and quickly to Sesshomaru before turning to leave, "but I'll definitely see you in a few nights! Reserve a dance for me!" he said waving as he started down the stairs. Kagome winced and waved with her left hand, the present tucked under her arm before letting out a heavy sigh of relief. Sesshomaru's deep voice directly behind her startled her.

"Who was that and what dance was he talking about?" the demon asked looking down at her. Kagome shifted nervously making a big fuss out of her wound instead of looking at him.

"Oh, nothing… just this… thing that's going on in a few nights, it's nothing though really," she started to head into the house when a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"I do not like it when people lie to me, but I will let it go for now since we are not done training," Kagome's shoulders sagged.

"But I need to take care of this," she said motioning to her arm but Sesshomaru was shaking his head before she had finished.

"The consequences of your mistake are no excuse to get out of training. It is not a bad wound so we will continue." He stepped a few paces away and resumed his position. Kagome sighed again and brought her sword up. This was going to be a long few days.

When they had finished their training session, Kagome was covered in sweat and her entire arm was caked in dried blood. The limb shook slightly as she sheathed her sword and headed toward the house, mentally cursing the fact that Sesshomaru had ever come home with her.

Sesshomaru sheathed his sword as well when a sudden thought occurred to him, he had a question that he had wanted Kagome to answer the day before and her conversation with that Hojo character had reminded him.

"Miko," Kagome turned wearily not even bothering to correct him, "what does everyone mean by 'you've been sick for so long?' People around you keep saying that. I was under the impression you had been in my era and that you have been in good health." Kagome sighed and leaned on the door frame chewing her lip distractedly.

"Well, people here don't really know about the properties of the well or my travels back and forth through time. The first time I left my mom didn't know what had happened to me, so instead of worrying my teachers, she simply told them I was out sick. Ever since then, whenever the school calls to see if I'm out sick again, my grandfather will make up another sickness for me to have contracted. That way I can be absent quite a bit but still be able to attend school." Sesshomaru stood there while she explained and was honestly amused; he had not expected to hear _that_. He didn't know what he had expected, but it wasn't that!

"Hnh," he said and turned away to pick up Tenseiga. Kagome sighed heavily and turned inside. Sometimes that man really infuriated and confused her.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Kagome finished her shower, dried off and got dressed. Her mind kept replaying her practice session with the demon lord, but not a single thought rested on the demon himself. Stopping her movements briefly, she stared at her palm, recalling the weird sensations she had occasionally felt. They almost felt like they were coming from the sword itself. At first she had ignored them in favor of paying attention to the deadly man in front of her lunging at her with his equally deadly sword, but then the sensations had become more insistent.

In the beginning it started out as a soft pulsing right underneath her palm, along the hilt, but as they practiced it became stronger and colder feeling, as if the sword was trying to tell her something. But that's impossible, right? Not so much, Tenseiga, Tetusaiga and Tōkijin were all sentient blades, was it possible this one was too? Kagome didn't think so. But still, it had been really weird.

Shrugging it off as her hands overreacting to the rigorous swordsmanship training, she quickly finished getting dressed and joined the others downstairs for dinner.

The dinner table was very quiet with only small conversation spattered throughout. Sesshomaru was completely silent through the meal, again settling for only coffee, until Mrs. Higurashi respectfully inquired about his day at which time he gave a short yet polite response then fell silent again. Most of the conversation was soaked up by her grandfather regaling them all with legends and stories that he had discovered that day.

Kagome's thoughts were still very much wrapped around the blade that now sat in her room leaned against the wall near her bed. Sesshomaru noticed the normally bubbly girl's preoccupation and misinterpreted it, though he determined he would get answers out of her later.

After dinner, Kagome excused herself and ran upstairs to work on some homework. The stoic demon politely refused Souta's offer of video games and headed to his own room to meditate and think to himself. He sat cross legged on the floor next to his neatly rolled up futon and closed his eyes, mulling over everything that had happened and coming to terms with his experiences.

The lord knew he would have to return sometime in the near future, and he wasn't sure what he would do with the new into events yet to come that he'd been given. It was definitely something he could take great advantage of, however he did not want to tip the balances of time. True, he was upset that demons had lost their dominance on the world, but there must have been a very good reason for the switch of power. He determined he must find out the cause of the reversal of roles.

Golden eyes opened slightly to stare straight ahead of him, deeply lost in thought. On second thought, what if knowing meant he could do something to change it? What if something really bad happens and almost all demons are eradicated, including himself. The thought hadn't occurred to him that he might run into himself here in the future, but ticking off the numbers in his head, that would put him at around a thousand years old. Not unheard of for such a strong demon like himself. Yet, he had felt no powerful auras, no sign that anything other than base level demons had made it into the future.

Now he was in a quandary. Changing the future could be a serious thing, however he didn't want to die either. _Or_ be changed in such a way that he no longer held power, which would be equivalent to dying in his mind. That must be it, he must be dead in this future, because he could see no reason why he would give up his power willingly and let mere ningens rule in dominance. The thought didn't sit well with him, but he didn't know what he could or should do about it.

About an hour had passed during his musings and he was brought out of his thoughts by the soft, but unmistakable music of a blade being sliding free of its sheath. The sound came from Kagome's room.

Rising to his feet in one graceful movement, he padded silently to the door of Kagome's room and pushed it open slightly. Kagome was sitting on her bed with her back to her door; in her hands was her new blade, not completely unsheathed, but enough to get a good look at the forte of the blade. She appeared completely lost in thought, absorbed in staring at the foreign metal before her. Even now, she felt soft pulses from within the sword, fainter now, yes, but now there was no mistaking it.

A presence behind her suddenly startled her and her head snapped around at the same time as she shoved the blade back into the scabbard with a metallic _shik_ sound. She wasn't entirely sure she was relieved to see Sesshomaru behind her or not, but he was there and there wasn't much she could do about it.

He noticed the look of confusion and apprehension that crossed her face and couldn't determine the cause, so he simply asked her.

"What are your thoughts?" her heartbeat sped up slightly and she turned away from him to regard the sword still clutched in her small hands. She stared down at it for a few moments more, a wayward thought pointed out that even the wording he chose was graceful. Damn aristocratic demon.

"It's just that… well, I… it… oh, nothing, nevermind," her shoulders sagged slightly as if in defeat and she thrust the sword away from her and against the wall to let it resume its position by her bed.

"So, what's up?" she asked turning back to the demon lord and looking up at him from her seat on her bed. A small look of confusion crossed his perfect features.

"What is up?" he repeated questioningly and she stared at him for a second before dissolving into giggles. Sesshomaru glowered at her, not happy at all that she was laughing at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sesshomaru, I forgot you don't understand the lingo of today," he stared at her, patiently waiting for her to continue, though that patience was beginning to run dangerously thin. "'What's up' is a term we use when we're asking someone why they've come to see us or what's going on with that person," she explained. "You came into my room for a reason, so I asked you in those friendly terms why you came in."

"Hnh," was all he responded with for quite a few moments. Instead he stared down at her with those unnerving, piercing gold eyes until she started to squirm uncomfortably. "I came in to discuss with you why you would not tell me the truth about this 'dance' that the whelp Hojo was talking about." Kagome shifted nervously and twiddled her thumbs.

"Would you like to sit?" she asked motioning toward her desk chair. Sesshomaru ignored her and continued boring into her as if he could see her very soul if he tried hard enough. "Oook, guess not…" Kagome cleared her throat, "Um, the dance… Hojo mentioned… well, there's this night club that's opened up in town recently and in a few nights is the grand opening… all of my friends insist that I go with them…" she looked up at him nervously then looked at anything else she could in her room and said softly, "and bring you." Sesshomaru stood there for a few moments staring at her.

"I fail to understand why this has you so nervous," he finally said, not releasing her from his piercing stare. Kagome ran her fingers through her bangs and sighed, nibbling on her bottom lip, trying to think of a good way of explaining what a 'night club' was.

Unbeknownst to Kagome, Sesshomaru was having some difficulty maintaining his disturbing glare as his eyes kept getting drawn to the soft lip she was abusing with her small white teeth. It was such a small gesture and he grew angry at himself for being so distracted by it, but for some reason that little movement sent a strange heat rushing through his stomach. Shoving it to the side and disregarding it for later, he pointedly ignored her mouth and returned his eyes to her own deep blue eyes.

"Well," she began, "the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you'd…enjoy a night club," she continued chewing her lip, "They do a lot of things there that… you would find… almost promiscuous," she was having trouble finding the right words.

Suddenly she found herself slapped hard on the back and almost fell off the bed. Catching herself, she snapped her head to look over at the demon who was now standing off to her side and was the cause of the sudden movement.

"What on earth was that for?" she demanded of him and he shrugged elegantly.

"You seemed like you were choking on it, so I was trying to see if I could get you to spit it out," he said staring at her as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Kagome stared at him for a few moments in shock. _Did he just tell a JOKE!_ She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Sesshomaru just stared at her, though he secretly enjoyed making her laugh, almost as much as he secretly enjoyed pissing her off.

The demon lord never let anyone close enough to him to find out, but the ice prince really did have quite a sense of humor buried under all that stoic hostility and for reasons unknown to himself, he didn't seem to mind sharing it occasionally with the odd miko. Once Kagome's laughter died down, she sat up straight and looked up at him again, ready to continue, but not so nervous about it this time.

"A night club is a place that people around my age and older go to dance and spend an enjoyable evening," she began. "Unfortunately, times have changed since the feudal era and 'dances' have a slightly different meaning. Here in my time, music has changed completely, so therefore the styles of dancing are different. At night clubs, there's mostly only one kind of dancing and it's very sexual. Most of the time people go there to meet up with someone to spend the evening with." Though Kagome was using nicer terms, he understood her meaning. People went there to find someone to have sex with.

Sesshomaru was slightly confused, he knew by her scent that the miko was pure, so why would she desire to go to a place in order to find a mate. And bring him as well, he had no desire for a mate, especially not a human. Kagome ran her fingers through her bangs again in her unconscious gesture of nervousness.

"I do enjoy going to night clubs, because the dancing is a lot of fun, but I don't go there with the intent that some other people do. They can be fun without the whole… going to find someone part." Sesshomaru began to understand.

"So you enjoy dancing," he stated and Kagome nodded.

"The problem is, I don't think it's such a good environment for you," she said looking up at him and knew she needed to explain. "The music is very very loud and would hurt your ears for one thing. For another, people there are a lot freer than they would be in public and it's not unusual for you to get groped," she said pointedly looking at the demon, "and it's against the law here to kill someone, even if they grope you." A strange light entered the demon's eyes and she knew she needed to clarify, "It's also illegal to maim someone who gropes you." The demon stared at her. Since when did she begin to understand him? Kagome turned away with a sigh.

"I've already told my friends and Hojo that I would be going, but I suppose I can tell them at school tomorrow that I won't be able to make it. Maybe I can feign another sickness…" he understood now, it was socially expected. And because he was witnessed _with_ her, he was expected as well.

"No," Kagome was startled by the interruption, "you will go to the dance and I will come with you. It is expected," he said with finality. Kagome wanted to argue with him and tell him it wasn't a good idea, but the look on his face told her that no matter what she said, it wouldn't matter. She had insinuated that the stoic demon could not handle a certain situation and now he wanted to prove that he could. _Stupid male egos_.

"By the way," he said pulling her out of her internal rant, "I'm coming with you to this 'school' tomorrow," he said as if it was a final thing. Kagome threw up her hands as if to ward him off.

"Now wait a second, first of all you're much too old looking to be able to come visit my school and fit in. Not that I think you look 'old' per se, but InuYasha _looked _my age. _You_ look like an adult. Secondly why on earth would you want to?" he studied her for a moment, accepting her 'age' explanation before responding.

"You are much more highly educated that I had originally thought you to be and I want to see this area of learning that you refer to on a constant basis. To answer your first point, of course I am too old, I am over five hundred human years old," Kagome's jaw dropped. She had known he was older than InuYasha, but not _that_ much older! "I fail to see how my age will present a problem," he finished. Kagome resumed chewing on her lip.

"Well, the thing is, you would only visit my school if you were thinking of transferring to there as a student, which you look much too old to be. Honestly you almost look too old to even be a college student, except maybe if you were doing your masters…." she trailed off suddenly deep in thought. Sesshomaru watched her in interest as her eyes darted back and forth, signaling that she mentally wasn't even in the room anymore, she was off somewhere else, lost in her own thoughts.

"Yea, that might work…" she said softly to herself before turning back to the demon still standing above her. "If we had you pose as a psychology major doing his masters seminar for college it might work. You could just follow me around all day under the pretense that part of your seminar was to follow a current day high schooler and study how current day education has an effect on the teen age mind, or something else complicated like that, maybe adding in a few societary statistics," Kagome said, trailing off again. "Yes, that might work…" considering he only understood part of what she said she was in for some work if this was to succeed.

The next morning found Kagome and Sesshomaru walking onto the school grounds side by side. Kagome wore her typical school uniform, but Sesshomaru was dressed in a burgundy button down shirt, black dress pants, a black tie and dress shoes. His hair was tied back in a loose ponytail at the nape of his long neck and his ears were tucked into the hair to hide the tips. His facial markings they left out seeing as most people had seen them already anyways. He carried a shoulder bag to further emphasize the college adult look and Kagome steered him quickly to the front office, ignoring all the weird stares they got from her friends and classmates.

After a few minutes of convincing, they finally got permission from the lady at the front office that Taisho Sesshomaru was a masters student in good standing and his teacher had sprung on him last moment that this be included in part of his seminar. Fortunately for him, his younger brother's former girlfriend was still in high school in town and he had asked her for help. They were handed a paper stating approval and hurried off to class.

Kagome sighed in relief as she slid into her desk chair and Sesshomaru settled into the one next to her. She turned to him with a look of complete seriousness.

"You know, you'll have to take notes to make this look good, though I have no idea what you would write…" she began, speaking softly. Sesshomaru looked at her boredly.

"I will simply write in ancient demon. No one here can read that so there is no way any of them can refute my notes," he said with an air of supreme confidence. Kagome sighed.

"Ok, that sounds good, just claim it's your own version of short hand," his head cocked to the side slightly and she sighed again, "I'll explain it later," just then her friends decided to pounce on her and her unsuspecting 'college friend.'

"Kagome! What's Sesshomaru doing here in school?" Eri asked excitedly, ecstatic that the sexy man would be sharing class with them, "Isn't he a little too old for high school?" Sesshomaru leveled the girl with a piercing glare and Kagome jumped in quickly.

"Oh! I didn't tell you did I? He's just finishing his masters in psychology and his seminar professor sprung on him last minute that he wanted a short case study on high schoolers," she said, pleased with herself for thinking up such a brilliant plan. Eri and her friends then proceeded to bombard the 'cool college student' with questions about his college career. Sesshomaru repeated everything Kagome had told him to tell anyone who asked questions and glanced over at Kagome in irritation. Fortunately for them, the bell rang to herald the start of class, so Kagome and Sesshomaru were granted a reprieve.

The first part of the day went by fairly smoothly with Sesshomaru acting the part of the college student much better than she had hoped. He took his strange scrawling notes at the perfect times and put up with her classmates incessant questioning with much more patience than she had thought he would have. To her surprise he growled once when a male student got too familiar with her, and ignored the mass of females clamoring for his attention.

Lunch finally came, much to Kagome's relief and she, Sesshomaru and her three friends traipsed off to the cafeteria to get lunch. Entering the large room, she was tempted to take him outside to eat instead because she saw his nose crinkle slightly in disgust from out of the corner of her eye, but her friends had already picked out a table and settled down, so they grabbed seats as well and joined them. Sesshomaru surprised her friends by simply taking out a thermos of coffee and drinking that instead of eating, but Kagome made a comment about college students living off of coffee and they paid it no mind.

Lunch was most of the way done when Kagome looked up to see Eri staring behind her with a look of disgust on her face. Before she had the chance to ask her friend what was wrong a shadow fell over her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the girl who's never here anymore. Looks like you actually decided to come to school for once and stop pretending to be sick. If you had half a spine, you'd be like the rest of us and just put up with it instead of running away," Kagome suppressed a grimace at the voice behind her before turning slightly.

"I don't recall inviting you and your friends to join us, Hanako," Kagome began, but the girl in question interrupted her.

"And look at this, you've brought a friend with you. How cute. You know there's a rule against bringing gangsters to school, though a _slut_ like you wouldn't care about that now, would you? Because only a slut would leave their first boyfriend and start sleeping with his older brother. What, was your first boyfriend not good enough for you?" the pompous female was about to continue, but Sesshomaru had heard enough. Rising to his feet in a movement that would make a dancer jealous, he growled loud enough for most of the room to hear him. Towering above the offending female and her entourage of friends, his voice dropped a pitch and washed over her as cold as ice, freezing the blood in her veins. Hanako had never seen anyone look so deadly in her entire life.

"You will refrain from speaking of my _deceased_ brother in anything but a respectful tone ever again. Also if I ever catch you speaking to the Lady Higurashi in such a manner ever again, you, your entire family, and your ancestors will regret your having ever been born," at this point the girls knees were shaking alarmingly and her friends had already abandoned her in favor of watching from a safer distance.

The entire cafeteria had gone silent at the beginning of the confrontation. Hanako was the most popular girl in school. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad, a member of student council and almost every guy in school wanted to date her. She had always been jealous of Kagome for holding Hojo's attention even though the comely girl didn't seem to even want it, which made the school heartthrob even more contemptuous.

Her painted face creased slightly as her mouth hung open in shock before clamping it shut, turning on her heel and stalking off to the bathroom to rant in private. She had never been talked down to like that before, but that man was downright _scary!_

Sesshomaru growled deep in his chest one last time before pivoting in place and sitting back down, his silver hair accentuated his movement and held everyone around spellbound before resuming their conversations and continuing eating. Gossip flew back and forth regarding the tall, strange man.

Kagome felt sick and elated at the same time. She hadn't expected Sesshomaru to come to her rescue, but now she and the demon were the center of attention even more than they had been before.

Covering her face with a hand, she willed herself to sink into the floor and disappear. Unfortunately, miko powers did nothing for mortification. One thought kept her aloft and she took a cautious glance at the demon at her side who was pointedly ignoring the rest of the room with an icy expression plastered on his handsome face.

_He called me 'Lady Higurashi,'_ she thought, _I wonder why he did that? For someone like him, one of the most powerful youkai lords of feudal Japan to refer to a mere ningen like me as a noble lady worthy of respect and to do so in front of all of my peers, that must mean SOMETHING_. Tuning her friends out who were excitedly chatting about Hanako being put down so thoroughly and by such an attractive man, Kagome mulled over her _relationship_ with the demon lord and tried to figure out exactly where she stood.

Finally the bell sounded to proclaim the end of the school day and Kagome stepped outside into the sunshine with Sesshomaru in tow, taking a deep sigh of relief before heading home. Fortunately, no one felt like bothering the odd couple, so they made it out of the school courtyard without being detained. They fell into step beside one another silently at first and considered their day each in the privacy of their own minds.

"So, what did you think of modern high school?" Kagome asked, breaking the silence and looking up at the demon walking beside her. Sesshomaru's head cocked to the side ever so slightly as he considered his answer. Kagome almost smiled. She was happy that the demon was beginning to show outward signs of what he was feeling inside. These were small steps, but she was thrilled to see them, never the less.

"To be perfectly honest, I had no idea the young of your age were required to be so highly educated. Obviously some of the subject matter has been created between your time and mine, but some of it seems difficult to learn, especially at a young age. For example the cal-cu-lus," he said sounding the foreign word out. Kagome nodded.

"The world is more highly advanced in this era, so we're required to know a lot more in order to get anywhere in life. The more you know, the better job you can get and that means achieving a higher position in society," Sesshomaru nodded in approval.

The little miko fell into silence for a few minutes before a question began nagging at her mind. Glancing at the demon out of the corner of her eyes, she debated whether or not to ask him. Steeling up her courage, she decided just to spit it out.

"Sesshomaru-sama, why did you refer to me as 'Lady Higurashi' at lunch today? When you called me that, you named me an equal, just below you. I was just wondering why you would do that, it seemed out of place for you," she finished looking up at him. Sesshomaru slanted a look at her before turning forward again.

"You are a miko of high repute in my era. You destroyed a great evil almost completely on your own, and you have been traveling Japan helping others, regardless of who they might be or if they were human or demon. Most of all, you act with respect toward my superior station when the need calls for it. In my era, you would now be seen as a little lower in station than myself," he said glancing at her before looking forward again.

"That painted whore was impugning your honor and you did not seem inclined to defend yourself, so I stepped in," Kagome looked away blushing slightly.

"Well, she's the most popular girl in school and standing up against her would really be rather pointless," Sesshomaru nodded.

"That is what I thought and that is why I decided to do it for you," Kagome walked in silence for a few moments considering his words.

"You scared the living daylights out of her though, that was pretty funny," she interjected grinning slightly. Sesshomaru harrumphed and Kagome giggled.

"I do seem to have that effect on people," he stated nonchalantly and Kagome dissolved into laughter.

"I'm just glad it wasn't me you were looking at like that for once!" he glowered at her and she laughed again.


	11. Chapter 11

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Oh, my faithful reviewers and readers! Fear not! The night club scene is coming, but a few things have to happen before then! Just a side note, my email account crashed and I had to get a new one, so my single-spark account hasn't been updated. They should be sending me the account confirmation code any day now and when I have access to it again, I will update that one with this new chapter.

Review with your thoughts and enjoy!

Chapter 11

Sweat ran freely down Kagome's face and arms as she parried yet another thrust from the deadly demon across from her. They had been practicing for an hour already and Kagome was ready to drop. Gritting her teeth in annoyance she deflected another blow and attempted a thrust which was neatly and effortlessly parried by the lord.

Kagome felt like she was ready to scream. Not only was Sesshomaru pushing her to her utmost limits, but the sword was pissing her off. The pulsing feeling through the hilt she had felt the day before had magnified ten times over and she could feel it reverberating up her arm and into her head. The blade made singing sounds that she was sure only she could hear, as if it was trying to find its tune but lacked someone to help it.

Sesshomaru kept snapping at her for her inattention and would nick and cut her when he felt she wasn't paying enough attention. She couldn't help it, the stupid sword kept distracting her! As their practice continued, the pulsing got stronger until she felt she could hear it in her head. It felt like her head was going to explode, her arms were practically going numb with the force of the vibrations. Then suddenly the pulsing in her head took actual shape and became more insistent. _Fubuki_ it practically screamed, _Fubuki, Fubuki, Fubuki,_ in time to the pulsing through her hand.

Beginning to get really angry, she felt power rising within her, starting as a warm feeling in her stomach and clashing wildly with a wave of intense cold shooting up her arm and meeting somewhere in her chest.

Sesshomaru had stopped giving instruction completely for a few minutes now and just stood there with sword arm slightly lax as he watched something going on in her head. He had known she was slightly distracted from the moment she picked the sword up that day, but this was something completely different. The miko didn't even hear him anymore, she simply stood there, almost a desperate and wild expression in her eyes as she stared at the bared blade before her.

Kagome felt like she would explode or her head would crack, the pressure was too great and the insistent voice was pissing the living hell out of her. Her eyes clenched shut tightly as she tried to block it out. Gritting her teeth in anger she gripped the sword tightly in desperation, finally something in her snapped.

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" she screamed at the sword raising it high over her head and slamming the blade hard onto the ground. Unbeknownst to her since her eyes were shut, the blade had begun to glow bright white. Frost shot down the blade from the hilt to the tip just as she raised the sword over her head, tendrils of smoke trailed like streamers created from intense cold.

The demon lord recognized what was happening and leapt to the side just before she swung the sword down releasing a massive and very powerful wave of cold energy blasting from the blade. Kagome's eyes snapped open as she felt a tidal surge of energy release from her in a wave and saw a path of icy destruction left by the flood of power she unwittingly unleashed.

Looking around frantically she finally saw Sesshomaru off to the side watching her with interest. Sighing in relief she glanced back down at the sword. The blade had returned to its normal silver luster, no sign of the white glow or frost remained save for the melting ice in front of her. Studying the blade for a moment, she let it fall to her side and turned to Sesshomaru who approached and stood off to her side.

"What happened?" she asked, looking up at him in confusion. He studied the blade himself for a moment before responding.

"I did not actually remove the sword from its sheath before giving it to you, so I must not have felt the sentient spirit sleeping within it," he said more to himself than to her, Kagome stared at him in surprise.

"It's sentient?" she asked receiving a nod.

"What did it say to you?" he glanced up to the girl's face. Kagome stared at her sword, how did he know it had spoken?

"Well, it just pulsed weirdly for most of our session, but then the pulse became more insistent and it started saying 'Fubuki' over and over again. Sesshomaru nodded, now understanding a little better.

"The sword was trying to tell you its name. Apparently it has been asleep for a long time and your handling it woke it up," he considered the blade for a moment. "Fubuki," he paused, "snowstorm." Kagome looked up at him. "The name is fitting."

"So, what now?" Sesshomaru shrugged elegantly.

"Now that you know its name, you learn to communicate with it and learn its secrets. It obviously has at least one," he said turning to look at the path of broken stone that had now almost completely melted in the light of the setting sun.

"Fubuki…" she paused trying the name out, "so… how do I communicate with it?" she asked staring at the shiny blade.

"Telepathically," he answered, "most swords can hear projected thoughts, though some you have to speak to. You will need to learn which your sword requires, and that will take some meditation with it," he mulled over the situation briefly. "Considering it is no longer a plain sword we should cease practice for the day and you should take that time to begin learning about Fubuki so that tomorrow you can bring what you have learned to practice." Kagome nodded and sheathed the sword slowly. "One of the better ways to commune with a sword is to find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, sit cross legged, place the sword across your knees as if meditating and then project to the sword," Kagome looked up at him and nodded once. "If you have trouble with it and cannot seem to communicate, then call me and I will see what I can do to help." With that he turned and disappeared inside.

Kagome took a considering look around before deciding to settle beneath the god tree to communicate with the sword. Sitting down cross legged as Sesshomaru had ordered, she unsheathed the katana and lay the naked blade across her bare knees. Placing a palm on the hilt and a palm on the flat of the blade she closed her eyes and asked a question.

_Fubuki?_ A few moments passed.

_Mistress?_ A clear male voice sounded in her head startling her a little.

_Kagome if you please. _

_As you wish, Lady Kagome. What is it you wish of this Fubuki?_

_I would like to get to know you better, Fubuki. Can you tell me about yourself?_

_There is some I can tell you and there is some you must learn. _

_Well, let's begin with what you can tell me._

_Yes, Lady Kagome. I am Fubuki, child of the icy north. I was forged to lie in the hands of the holy priestess, Lady Yukiko of the North. In the days following my lady's unfortunate demise, I was sealed away and became dormant. I have not awoken until my Lady Kagome unsheathed my blade. _

_What are you exactly, Fubuki?_

_I am a winter spirit. Some would call me an ice elemental. I have gone by many names. _

_Were you always a sword?_

_No, my lady. Once I was a free spirit and roamed the mountains of the north. I willingly placed myself into the service of my lady. It was an honor to become her right arm. You have much to learn if I am to become yours, my lady. _Kagome sweat dropped.

_Yes, I know, Fubuki. Can you give me a mental picture of what you looked like before?_

Silence for a few moments.

_I can show you one of my forms, which will actually become one of the powers of the sword you will learn to use. However that will not be for a while. Please make your mind blank. _Kagome did as she was told. Momentarily a beautiful snow white panther appeared in her mind's eye. The panther was lithe and graceful with piercing light blue eyes and long protruding fangs.

_Beautiful!_

_Thank you, my lady. _

_How is that form a power that I'll be able to use? _

_Once you learn to wield me properly, you will be able to call upon my power and make it so that I can alter my appearance in order to materialize in that form. I will be capable of fighting for you or taking you on my back. _Kagome thought this information over carefully.

_Fubuki, how do I begin to learn to use you? Please tell me how I may gain more knowledge on how to wield you properly?_

_This has been a good start, my lady. The accident we had earlier, though potentially deadly, was also a good start. That is just one of many powers you will begin to learn. It is also one of the more basic. _Kagome's eyebrows shot up.

Their conversation continued for quite a while longer, each asking questions and answering one another, learning more about each other and their personalities. Sesshomaru stood in Kagome's window looking down at her progress. She appeared calm and serene. The sword didn't seem to have malicious intent, so he left them be. Tomorrow he would test her knowledge of the sword and see what it was capable of. For now, he would let them get to know one another better. A sentient sword can be a two edged weapon. He cast a glare down at Tenseiga.

Kagome came to dinner that night mentally drained but over all pleased with her results with Fubuki. The sword was not mentioned at all during the meal and her family chatted on happily about their goings on.

Later that night as Kagome was preparing for bed, her eyes fell on the sword sheathed by her bed. On a whim, she picked it up and held onto the hilt with both hands and closed her eyes.

_Fubuki?_

_Yes, my lady?_

_Do you have a human appearance as well?_ Silence stretched on for a few moments.

_Yes, my lady._

_Can you show it to me?_ More silence.

_Not yet, my lady. _

_Why not?_

_It is not a good time to reveal that yet, my lady. Concentrate instead on everything we have talked about and on your upcoming sparring session with Sesshomaru-sama tomorrow afternoon. _Kagome nodded disappointedly.

_Goodnight, Fubuki._

_Goodnight, my lady. _

The next afternoon found Kagome across from Sesshomaru again, though this time the location was different. Sesshomaru had decided that since they might possibly be destroying some landscape that he would take them to a location better suited to their purposes. Surprising and embarrassing Kagome completely, he had scooped her up bridal style, despite her protestations and raced off on foot to a place he had discovered while wandering during the hours Kagome was at school. When he had finally touched down, she looked around to find herself deep in the woods somewhere in a small clearing.

A silky voice broke her internal contemplation of her surroundings.

"I take it you have discussed things with Fubuki?" Kagome whipped around to give Sesshomaru her undivided attention, unconsciously settling a light hand on Fubuki's hilt.

"Yes, I think I'm ready to begin learning from you both how to wield him properly," she responded nodding. Sesshomaru raised one elegant eyebrow, _him?_ Interesting. Kagome unsheathed the sentient sword and dropped into a defensive stance. Sesshomaru followed suit with Tōkijin and elegantly dropped the tip of his sword, raising the hilt higher.

He attacked her a few times using techniques he had taught her on previous days, warming her up a bit and reacquainting her with some of the movements before moving onto harder things. Now that she had better communication with her sword, he decided to change things up a little and see what the sword itself would do to try to teach Kagome.

Kagome concentrated on the demon before her, falling back on the basic swordsmanship skills Sesshomaru had taught her before, but was still aware of the _being_ she was utilizing. Suddenly, she felt Sesshomaru's aura change slightly and Fubuki pulsed to life in her hand.

_Lady Kagome, he has tapped into the power of his evil sword. The sword does not like my holy presence and will use that evil energy to weaken me. Connect your holy power with my own. He is heat, we are cold. Natural enemies. Remember _cold. Kagome concentrated on Fubuki's words in her head and defended against Tōkijin and Sesshomaru's next attack. She could feel the energy of Tōkijin when the two swords collided, metal sliding against metal, aura battling aura.

Sesshomaru was lightly surprised to feel the cold holy energy of Fubuki rise up to combat the hot energy of his own Tōkijin and decided then to really see what the sword was capable of teaching her.

Blending his own youki with the energy of Tōkijin, but keeping keenly aware of the sword's overwhelming desire, well… overwhelming for anyone else, to take over his body and soul and control him, he extended their combined fire in silent challenge to the holy powers before him.

_My lady, do you feel the increase in power emanating from the demon and his sword?_ Kagome gave a silent nod, _the demon is extending a silent challenge. Take our blended auras and think of it as a tangible essence that you can control with your will, almost like a mist rising off my blade. Now take that essence and extend it toward the demon, but do not attack him with it. _Kagome concentrated and did as instructed, feeling the heat of the powerful aura, but not shrinking away from it. She began to understand the boundaries of the energy and now manipulated it to caress the edges of Sesshomaru's. Kagome struggled not to falter. Kami they were _hot_… no pun intended.

Sesshomaru almost smiled to himself. Interesting. She was picking up on battling auras quickly, reveling in the feeling of opposing auras. This was a nuance few enemies ever excelled at, especially not InuYasha. The miko could become _very_ strong indeed with time and practice. Dropping into an offensive stance, he summoned the power of his Kenatsu. Wrapping the power of his youkai around him like a comforting blanket, he prepared to send a fraction of his normal Kenatsu at the girl and her blade.

Kagome felt the energy of the blade beneath her hands tense even as she herself felt the shift in Sesshomaru and Tōkijin's energy. _My lady, he is preparing an offensive energy attack. From my brief interactions with his demon sword, Tōkijin, I've glimpsed the name of the attack as being Kenatsu. _Kagome tensed, she had seen the attack before, only then it was directed at InuYasha and she was a safe distance away. She had also seen it rip large portions of Naraku's body to shreds.

_What do I do against something so powerful? _she demanded of the sword beginning to panic. Did Sesshomaru truly believe she could defend against something like that? Was the demon insane?

_Calm, my lady. I believe the power he is extracting from the sword is not at its full potential. He is simply testing us. Do as I say. _Kagome calmed and listened carefully. _Do you remember the feeling of our power colliding that first time you used the_ _Kaze no Kori? _Kagome nodded mutely. _Control it this time. _Suddenly she felt overwhelming cold shoot up her arm and into her chest cavity. Inhaling sharply she closed her eyes, expecting to feel pain, but when it didn't come, she opened her eyes again. Exhaling, she saw puffs of steam leave her mouth, her breath itself felt _cold_. Tentatively, she accepted the cold energy entering her body, connected it with the healing cool of her holy powers, increasing those powers tenfold. Instead of feeling as if she was about to crack this time, she felt it languorously stretching within her, much like the cat form he had shown her.

_Very good, my lady, yes bring to mind my cat form. Now mold that form into a crouching position in your sword arm. _Kagome obeyed. _He is about to release his energy, we are lucky he is waiting until we are ready. Pull the image of that cat back hard, as you raise your arm to defend us. _Kagome raised her sword arm high above her head, guiding it with her left hand on the pommel. _Now slash downward at Sesshomaru and release the energy, letting it flow in water-like energy down your arm, along the blade and exiting the point. _

Kagome concentrated for a moment on the intense cold in her arm at the joint of the shoulder then slashed her sword down just as she felt Sesshomaru unleash his Kenatsu. A surge similar to the one she released the day before rushed out of her, but it was controlled and more powerful this time.

The little miko watched in amazement as the blade frosted over completely during her down swing, the metal glowed bright white and when the energy reached the tip, a wall of icy wind leapt from the tip in a blinding arch. Snow crystals and ice materialized out of the power released and created a wind of pure blizzard force that rushed at Sesshomaru's blue Kenatsu. The opposing forces of fire and ice collided in the center of the field, creating an explosive sound. Blue and white intertwined with ferocious intensity as they battled one another. Within moments, the basic properties of the attacks neutralized each other and left very wet and singed grass in the middle of the now steaming field.

Sesshomaru had waited patiently while she conversed with her sword on how to defend themselves and ticked off the seconds slowly in his head. He had determined that by the time she was finally ready to attack that he could have killed her thousands of times over and in many different creative ways. Measuring the amount of power the miko was about to unleash using his youki, he matched the energy with his Kenatsu to make sure they canceled themselves out.

Sesshomaru glanced at the miko who was standing as if frozen in place, still staring at the spot where the energy had collided. He was decidedly unimpressed so far, though _she_ had done better than he had expected.

"What was that called?" he questioned in a bored voice. Kagome snapped out of her daze and looked at the demon, ignoring his bored tone in her elation of having been able to produce such an attack.

"Fubuki called it Kaze no Koori." Sesshomaru nodded, resisting the urge to yawn.

"That was passable for a first try, but I expected more," Kagome's mouth dropped open in acute shock at his declaration. The demon just stared at her blandly.

For the entire rest of their practice session, Sesshomaru and Fubuki worked on unleashing the Kaze no Kori whenever Kagome demanded it. Relentlessly he had her use it again and again, draining the poor girl until she was exhausted and the field looked like Christmas.

When the sun finally set below the horizon and it became difficult for Kagome to see in the waning light, Sesshomaru decided to end their training session and bring her home. The girl didn't even protest this time as he scooped her up and sped back to her house. Halfway there she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. His first reaction was to rudely awaken the girl and force her to remain awake, but he changed his mind and let the battered woman sleep. Glancing down at her peaceful face he knew he had been hard on her that day, so he decided to let her have a small break.

Reaching their destination, he set her down, wakening her immediately as her feet touched solid ground again. Wobbling slightly, she silently made her way into the house, leaving the demon to stand outside staring at the sky in contemplation. After a few moments he nodded to himself, satisfied and followed the miko indoors.

The Higurashi family had already eaten and left an evening out leaving a note for Kagome to help herself to the leftovers in the oven. Kagome ate alone in the kitchen before heading upstairs to relax in the bathtub. Kagome slipped into the steaming liquid and sighed in contentment, sinking down to her chin. Closing her eyes, she thought over the day. Sesshomaru was a hard teacher, but she knew it was all for the better. The harder he was on her, the faster and more efficiently she would learn. She also realized that he was a full demon and was not used to ningen weaknesses, she was sure he would be much harder on a demon pupil.

Her thoughts traced over all the training they had done that day and one thought keep reoccurring to her which she couldn't seem to push to the side. He lacked his arm because of her. Well, her and InuYasha. The demon didn't seem particularly hampered by the loss, he was still extraordinarily deadly, but it had become a definite hindrance when he was teaching her how to hold her sword properly during attacks and when tapping into the power of a sentient sword.

He couldn't demonstrate how to hold the sword. Though he was powerful enough not to need the elementary way of controlling the weapon, he still was incapable of showing her the basics because of a foolish act on hers and InuYasha's part. She couldn't seem to shake the guilt.

A clenching pain shot through her chest. _InuYasha._ Biting back a sob she leaned her head back against the tub and let the tears squeeze themselves between her closed lids to run unheeded down her cheeks to mingle with the bathwater. _Kami_, she missed him so much! As far as she was concerned she had dealt with his and the deaths of her friends very well, but in the dark of the night, she could still smell the blood, see their mangled bodies and all she could do was weep. Not out of guilt but out of simple loss. What she wouldn't _give_ to be able to sit up in a hot spring and chat excitedly with Sango who was like her sister about everything she'd been doing with Sesshomaru lately. Oh boy! She could just imagine the response she would get from that one!

Choking back a sob that seemed to come from the depths of her soul, she forced herself not to remember the feeling of a tiny fox kit body colliding excitedly with her own when she would return with all sorts of sweet treats from her own time. Smiling through her tears she recalled with affection even the times when Miroku, supposedly a righteous monk had tried to grope her derriere and had asked her to bear his children.

Then there was InuYasha, all twitching ears and sarcastic attitude. But he had a good heart. Before the final battle he had reconciled with Kikyou and had put her to rest with her own consent. She had been tired of wandering the earth as a non-living creature, condemned to watch those around her live and love but feeling none of it herself. They had wandered off hand in hand and for once Kagome had not felt the familiar twinge of jealousy in her chest. She and the older miko had reconciled as well and had become friendly with one another. InuYasha had returned alone that night, Kikyou had been put to rest and their journey continued. Kagome and InuYasha had been free to love each other.

But it was not meant to be.

Shortly thereafter the final battle occurred. Sobs wrenched themselves free of the cage she had kept them in and she finally broke down, just letting herself pour it all out. It wasn't healthy to keep it all in, so she let herself sob while she had her own private eulogy for each member of their little team.

Sesshomaru smelled the salty sting of tears and had followed the scent to the bathroom. Inhaling deeply several times he determined the miko was not wallowing in despair nor was she angry at him for his treatment of her earlier. The scent of her mood was more contemplative and he guessed correctly that she had finally broken down and was saying good bye. _Good,_ he thought to himself, _she had it bottled up too long. Humans do not have a very high level of control over their emotions, but she did a fairly good job of not letting her grief overtake her life._ Turning away from the door he silently padded to his borrowed room and settled down to meditate and rest, though he really didn't need it.

Kagome finished her time of reflection and got out of the bathtub. Slowly she dried off, brushed her hair and teeth, dressed and padded to her room. The hour wasn't terribly late, but the next day was Saturday and the night of the night club's opening. She wanted to be fully rested for that and decided to go to bed early. Curling up in bed she sighed quietly to herself. She felt much better having cried herself out, but one thing kept coming up as having been unresolved. Sesshomaru's arm, or lack thereof. It bothered her greatly, but she wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. Tossing and turning slightly, she finally managed to fall into a restless sleep.

Kenatsu - Sword Pressure, Tōkijin's power to cut an enemy without physical contact. Most of the time appearing light blue in color and has been known to push back InuYasha's Kaze No Kizu.

Kaze no Koori - Ice wind, Fubuki's attack that releases a wall of blizzard energy at his target. More advanced levels of Kaze no Koori is capable of freezing an adversary within seconds and creating a real blizzard on the target's location.


	12. Chapter 12

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

I'm so happy everyone is liking my story! I'm having better responses than I'd ever hoped for!

Inugirl06 - I used a Japanese/english dictionary to come up with the name of her sword and the attacks. You'll see alot more of those in the coming chapters as well as more Japanese named characters. I'll try to remember to put the translation of the name somewhere in the text, if not in an author's note.

Eternityoftears - YES! This is a tie in chapter and next update you'll all have nightclub goodness! X3

Mangadreams - I actually hadn't even thought of that, but it is rather fitting that their swords emit powers opposite to their personalities, ne?

Mad Monk - I will try to keep the updates coming!

Nekoyasha101 and Ktshabatie - thanks for the reviews! You guys are awesome!

I will try to keep my updates on the odd days of the week, so you all can look forward to hearing from me then! One more chapter and then nightclub! X3

Chapter 12

Kagome sat bolt upright staring into the blackness that was her bedroom in the dead of night. A light sheen of sweat covered her lightly tan skin and her raven hair matted itself against her damp neck, shoulders and forehead. _What was that?_

Her dream had left her more than a little disturbed, though even in the few moments between deep sleep and wakefulness the dream had already begun to fade. She remembered Sesshomaru, that she knew, but there also were shadows of a presence that felt a lot like Midoriko and snatches of information on healing. Dragging her arm across her cold, damp forehead she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Not knowing entirely what she was doing or why, she stood silently and made her way over to her door. Slipping into the 2:00 am darkness that draped the hallway with its velvety shades, she padded silently a few doors down the way and paused.

Nothing around her made a single sound so she tentatively pushed open the door before her. There, sitting upright against the wall next to the closet, his face in profile was the beautiful silvery demon in her dream. His eyes were closed as if asleep, one leg was extended in front of him and the other was bent at the knee, his swords lay nestled between his legs and up against his hip to rest against his right shoulder. One hand rested lightly against the hilts of the swords and his head was lightly tilted back. The light from the moon spilled through the window, catching the silvery texture of his hair and the paleness of his skin, making him glow in an ethereal manner, as if the moon god himself had come down to reside in her guest room.

Without pausing to think, she stepped lightly into the room, crossed the space between them and knelt tremulously down by his left side. If Sesshomaru had heard her, he made no indication.

The demon in question had in fact been awake the entire time. His eyes had been closed in silent meditation when he had heard her sharp intake of breath and the almost inaudible creak of her bed when she had awoken and sat up. Listening to her, he didn't move when he heard her rise from her bed and make her way down the hall. Still refusing to move or open his eyes, he heard her increased heartbeat and slow, laborious breathing as she entered his room and knelt by his side. Wondering what exactly she was doing, he decided to remain as he was and see for himself what the little miko was up to. He heard her shift by his left side and felt small, trembling fingers against his shoulder. Resisting the urge to pull away, he let her run her hands which were so much smaller than his own down his shoulder to where his arm abruptly ended, thanks to his half brother.

Briefly his mind wandered over the previous day and the moments he had caught her glance resting on his severed limb, wondering exactly why she seemed so fascinated with it. It caused him no embarrassment, just slight frustration at its loss.

Small fingers found their way into the short sleeve of his shirt until he felt the soft skin of her finger tips touching the sensitive skin of his arm. He was completely at a loss as to what the girl thought she was doing. Had the girl gone mad? Did she want him to kill her? Just has he was considering pulling away from her and giving her the coldest glare he had in his repertoire of glares he felt a warmth and a tingling begin in the newer skin covering his stump. Her little palms had cupped the very bottom of his arm, right above where the bicep had been sliced through and he felt power begin to radiate from them and into his skin. Finally opening his eyes, he glanced up at her face as she was crouched close to him. Her eyes were closed tightly in concentration, her lower lip was sucked in between her pearly little teeth and her hands rested on either side of his bicep. Looking down, he noticed her hands glowed a light pink. As he watched, the pink intensified until the entire room was basked in the warm light.

Half expecting his youki to balk at the use of holy power so close and in contact with his person, he readied himself to do battle with his inner beast. Surprisingly, nothing happened, his inner beast didn't feel threatened at all by the presence of the holy powers and momentarily he realized why. Pain erupted deep in the bone of his arm and he knew then that she was using healing powers only, no purifying powers. Normally in the healing process the powers are combined in order to purge the wound of any evil energy and aide in the healing process. Somehow, the miko had been able to differentiate between the two powers and had summoned only the pure cool pink glow of the healing powers.

A look of pure shock crossed his face as the pain of regrowing his arm intensified. Before his astonished eyes, he saw the stump grow longer from beneath her hands, muscles reconnected themselves and joints reformed. The pain was intense, but nothing that he couldn't handle. Gritting his teeth slightly as tendons reattached themselves and continued on past the joint, he watched in fascination as his forearm continued to materialize, even down to the magenta stripes that adorned his wrists. Fingers then claws and it was finished.

Sesshomaru went to raise his arm before his face in inspection of the new limb when Kagome did a face plant right into his chest. Well, that wasn't expected. The girl didn't say a word before or after. She just came into his room, grabbed his arm, starts flashing powers around and then passes out on him. Nice.

Gripping the girl around the waist, he didn't bother to return her to her own room, he simply readjusted her so her body rested against his chest more comfortably then resumed his original intent of inspecting his new arm. It was just as perfect as it had been before, of course he would have to test it out completely in the morning, but flexing it and moving the fingers, everything seemed to be in order. He felt the familiar flush of poison when he cracked his knuckles and was pleased when the claws glowed green and he smelled the acrid stink of his poison.

Looking down at the miko he allowed himself a pleased face as he studied her before closing his eyes again and returning to meditation. Inwardly grinning, he greatly anticipated when she would finally awake once more. Irking her had become one of his favorite hobbies and he couldn't wait to see how she would react to this one. (meheheh, ebil grin)

Sunlight poured in the window and lit up the little miko's face. Squinting her eyes in frustration at having been woken too early she turned away from the offending light and buried her face in her pillow. Strangely enough, it didn't give as much as she had thought it would. It was rather firm and yet soft at the same time, though she didn't remember changing her pillowcase out for one that felt like t-shirt material. Refusing to open her eyes and trying to burrow deeper against her oddly rather warm pillow, the thought slowly occurred to her that she couldn't recall falling asleep sitting up either.

Kagome kept shifting, trying to screw up the courage to open her eyes against the blinding light, but couldn't quite seem to accomplish her goal. However when a very strong, lithe and deadly clawed arm wrapped around her torso and a low growl rumbled from within her pillow, despite all her previous reasons for keeping her eyes closed vanished and said blue eyes snapped open.

Blinking a few times in order to accustom her eyes to the light, Kagome's cerulean orbs were met with the unnerving sight of a very hard demon chest pressed against her cheek. Lifting her head slightly to allow movement, she followed the chest upward with her eyes, up past where the shirt ended and a long expanse of white neck began and then finally resting on the face belonging to the demon she was still currently pressed up against. Gulping slightly her eyes locked with the golden orbs staring silently down at her, an unreadable expression lurking in his amber depths.

Just then, her afore unnoticed body parts decided to report in. Numbly, her mind registered that the entire length of her torso was pressed snugly against the demon lord mentioned in previous statements, and it would need to be duly noted that said demon was capable of killing whomever he pleased in many different and gruesome manners. That having been said, the next part to check in was her waist and hips, which just so happened to be nestled quite nicely, depending on who's opinion you asked, in between dangerous demon lord's _thighs_. This report also included the nice detail that the sharply clawed arm she had felt earlier was pressed against her hip bone, the palm and fingers wrapped around the small waist to rest against the flat stomach which just so happened to have been exposed slightly during her shifting. Tiny pricks signaled that though his palm was flat against a stomach that was threatening to revolt in the most obvious manner it could think of that his claws were too long and deadly to avoid being noticed.

Her legs decided then to groggily give in their own report. Said noble demon lord with extremely long and deadly claws who was mentioned above in previous statements had for some reason unknown to the lower appendages decided to intertwine his own much longer and much more heavily muscled appendages with them. It was duly noted then that the appendages mentioned were rather bare due to the fact that Kagome had worn shorts to bed and that those mentioned walking accessories were incapable of movement at the current moment due to the fact that dangerous noble demon lord with extremely long, deadly claws and heavily muscled legs had afore mentioned lower appendages wrapped securely around her own, preventing any movement and therefore any means of escape.

Not that escape had really ever been an option. Kagome blinked a few times in confusion as her body parts finished reporting in and a flush began to rise in her cheeks.

Sesshomaru watched her in fascination as she seemed to mentally assess what was going on and almost grinned when he saw the blush begin to rise in her cheeks because he knew then that she had some idea of her situation. Deciding to sit back and enjoy where this went, he continued to stare at her, waiting for her to speak first.

Painstakingly slowly, the events of the night before began to filter into her head. Her eyes glazed over slightly as she tried to remember all the details. She remembered sitting up in bed after having a nightmare that had something to do with Sesshomaru. Vaguely she remembered getting up and coming into his room and kneeling by his side. With the weight of something heavy being dropped on her head she remembered giving him his arm back.

A look of surprise and elation suddenly crossed her innocent features and she began to squirm _in his lap_ anew, trying to twist enough to see the arm she had returned to him, the one that just so happened to be pressed against her bare stomach. A loud and low growl stopped her movement completely, though the arm around her tightening considerably with steel-like strength had a lot to do with it was well.

Sesshomaru's eyes had narrowed and unfocused slightly. Good Kami, why was he reacting like this. Every time the girl moved in his lap he felt a white hot heat rush to his stomach and an ache begin to form in lower appendages that need not be mentioned. This would be entirely unacceptable since the girl sitting in his arms right now happened to be _pressed against_ that very appendage and would be very embarrassing to dangerous noble demon lord with extremely long, deadly claws and heavily muscled legs. Good Kami, was he just admitting to being embarrassed about something like that? She's a ningen! Why would he care what she thought? Then again, how could a mere ningen incite a reaction out of him like that? Many _demonesses_ had tried and failed.

Forcing such traitorous thoughts from his mind and regaining control of certain body parts, willing them to remain _neutral_ he returned his thoughts in a _non-_sexual way to the woman still staring up at him from her position in his lap.

During those few moments Kagome had done some of her own assessments and bullied certain body parts into non-reaction. Having more than 50 percent of your body pressed firmly against a very well muscled and extremely sexy demon body will not usually go unnoticed by even the most innocent of people. Though the miko in question is indeed innocent in many ways, she was still aware of the reactions of her own body and couldn't help the rising heat, or rather dropping heat that began in her belly and slowly made its way down to her thighs. Squashing the feeling before it got there, she forced the heat to remain in her belly and tried not to focus on the hard body beneath her own or the long, slender fingers splayed across her belly which seemed to sear her skin with the heat of their intensity.

When both parties had finished schooling themselves into control, completely oblivious of the other's struggles they stared at one another, waiting for the other to speak. Finally Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Um… good morning?" she could kick herself, Kagome had no idea why she had worded it as a question, but for some reason it seemed oddly fitting. Sesshomaru's head cocked to the side the slightest bit as he regarded her. The silence stretched on.

"Uh… well… did you sleep well?" _ignore body, ignore body, ignore extremely sexy demon body pressed against… NO NO NO BAD KAGOME BAD!_ More silence.

"I did not sleep. I did not need to."

"Oh, so you weren't…"

"No."

"Oh," _add one for mortification points for Kagome, _"um, how is your arm?" Cocking his head to the side a little more, he studied her for a moment before deciding to ignore the question.

"Why did you return it to me?" he asked instead. Big blue eyes stared up at him for a moment before unfocusing slightly, deep in thought. Momentarily a blush began to stain her cheeks again and she dropped her face, shielding her eyes from view.

"I… well, uh…" she couldn't seem to think of a way of phrasing it without insulting him. "InuYasha and I… well, _I_ felt… I felt that what we had done to you was unfair and that you weren't deserving of it," she paused taking a deep breath. "You seemed to get along fine without it, but watching you teach me over the past few days gave me a sharp reminder of just how much we had taken from you. I know it would grow back eventually, but I figured out how to make it come back faster, so I thought I would do it as a thank you for everything you've done for me." Kagome finished and sat silently, waiting for his response, staring at a very well formed chest instead.

"You do realize what you have done, do you not?" Sesshomaru asked and Kagome froze. Panic threatened to overtake her mind, he didn't like what she'd done! "All of your friends have seen me with only one arm. Tonight when we go out, I will have two. How will we explain that?" Blue eyes widened and her face froze in a look of surprise and panic. She was elated that he didn't hate her for returning the arm, but she had completely forgotten that her friends had no idea he was a demon and she was a miko! What were they going to tell them tonight?

Sesshomaru watched in amusement as different expressions of panic, shock, relief and renewed panic flashed across her young face. He loved baiting her and idly the thought wandered through is mind if it would be this fun to wake up with her in his arms every day. Genuinely he was very pleased to have the arm back, but he wasn't about to tell _her_ that. Returning his attention to the panicking miko in his arms he resisted the urge to smile.

Kagome's face had transformed slightly during his internal musings into an exaggerated look of shock and panic, her mouth formed a slight 'oh' expression, her blue eyes were impossibly wide open and her gaze was unfocused as her mind frantically tried to come up with a solution.

When her mind kept coming up blank she started to really panic. Shifting around in his lap again, almost causing him to groan out loud, but refraining from doing so, she began to pat at his chest with both hands as if trying to get his attention or impress upon him the seriousness of the situation.

"Oh! Sesshomaru what are we going to tell everyone! There just isn't any way to explain having no arm and then suddenly having a perfect, working one only a day later! There's no medical techniques in my time that would do something like that!" Sesshomaru frowned slightly. He hadn't thought of the possibility that it might be unexplainable because of situations in her era. Shrugging a shoulder elegantly and endeavoring to keep the squirming girl still in his lap he clamped down harder with his new arm and held her shoulders still with the other.

"I am sure we can simply tell them they were mistaken," he began but Kagome shook her head dubiously.

"A whole school worth of people? I doubt it. Everyone was oogling you while you were there and remember Hojo saw you in a t-shirt. There was no mistaking that." Sesshomaru looked at her as if she was spouting nonsense.

"I suppose," she continued, "a better way of explaining, though still kind of doubtful would be to tell everyone that you had been injured in the same 'accident' that InuYasha was killed in and that your arm had to be braced tightly against your torso to allow healing," Sesshomaru shrugged elegantly. He really didn't care; the demon knew that anyone who tried to tell him otherwise he would give a glare of death to and that would be the end of the argument. However if Kagome wanted to try and think of an explanation, he would let her.

Kagome finally finished talking and nodded to herself in satisfaction, pleased that she might have come up with a feasible solution. As she sat there, running it over in her mind again, she remembered she was still sitting _in_ Sesshomaru's lap. A blush began to creep its way onto her cheeks again and she started to squirm in his firm grasp.

"Um, Sesshomaru? Do you think you would mind if I … uh… got up?" she asked avoiding his eyes, embarrassed slightly by her body's reaction to her proximity to the demon.

"Why? I thought you were comfortable?" he asked instead of letting her go, thoroughly enjoying the deep flush that spread across her cheeks to her ears and down her neck to disappear into her shirt.

_Oh dear, _she thought, _now what?_ How to extricate herself without offending a very deadly demon.

"Oh, I … uh, of course I'm comfortable! It's … just that… I … um… you are… uh… I…I just didn't think… you'd want your presence sullied by me…" she tried thinking of things she thought would make him pleased.

Wrong answer.

Kagome grimaced as she saw his face tighten ever so slightly and a tiny frown mar his perfect features. Within the span of a heartbeat she was standing on her feet and he was standing before her with both arms at his sides. Raising one hand he gestured toward the door. Kagome glance down at her hands trying to think of something to say to fix her mistake, but when she looked back up he was gone, the curtains on the other side of the room billowed quietly in the morning breeze created by the now open window.

Suppressing a sigh, she silently left the room to go take a shower.

Sesshomaru leapt into the highest branches of the god tree and closed his eyes, letting the breeze wash over him, blowing his silver curtain of hair over his shoulder to cascade down beyond his back where he was crouched in the tree. Glancing back at the house briefly he pondered what she had said and his own reaction.

Normally, her response _would_ have been the correct one and would have pleased him ever so slightly, though ningens usually didn't please him at all. But when she had said it, he felt a certain tightening in his chest, as if hearing _her_ say it meant something entirely different.

Did she really think that way of him? He thought he had explained to her that he no longer considered her as being beneath his notice. His referral to her the other day as a lady of noble title had proven that to her. Why did it bother him so that she still thought he hated her? Didn't he though? No. No, he didn't. Of that he was sure now.

Just what that weird feeling he got in his stomach when she laughed or was close to him, he didn't know. It confused him and he hated being confused, but at the same time he didn't want it to stop. Stopping to examine the way he felt, he realized he actually was somewhat offended that she had thought so lowly of him.

Sometimes when he would see how she acted and spoke around him that she knew him even better than he knew himself, though there were times like this that she seemed to completely misinterpret him. He had thought that his actions that morning had spoken for themselves. If he had detested her presence she wouldn't have woken up comfortably nestled in his arms. Now that the warmth of her body had faded from his own, he felt strangely cold and bereft of all warmth.

For quite some time he sat in the tree contemplating the enigma his newfound feelings had created in him.

Kagome could kick herself. She should have known that was not the response Sesshomaru was looking for. He had even _told_ her he had more respect for her than that. Hell, he had come to the future with her, put up with her buying him clothing and dressing him up, going to school with her where he defended her honor, and even taught her swordsmanship. Then she turns around and insults him by accusing him of being honourless and treating her like all the other lesser ningens around him. It still felt odd for her to think this way, but he had seemed offended that she had assumed he would act like the cold youkai he showed everyone else.

A hope sprang up in her chest as she thought that over. Sesshomaru was actually offended that she thought _he_ would treat her coldly, meaning, he was already changing his own perceptions of himself. He _knew_ he was warming up to her! The thought had her on cloud nine as she exited the shower until she remembered that he was still angry with her for treating him like she had.

Kagome decided she would have to convince him she hadn't meant it the way she had intended and that she was simply trying not to offend him. Yes, that's what she would do. Feeling better about her decision, she finished getting dressed and looked around the house for Sesshomaru.

She couldn't find him anywhere. Just then Eri called and asked her to come out and pick out new outfits for that night. Kagome hesitated, wanting to find Sesshomaru and apologize, but Eri was insistent and she promised to meet her and her other two friends in ten minutes downtown. Hurriedly she grabbed her shoes and purse and headed out of the house.

Sesshomaru watched as she crossed the courtyard under his tree and ran down the steps to disappear around a corner. He had heard every word she had spoken on the phone and had heard her hesitation to go out. The demon wasn't sure why she had hesitated, but he had the feeling it had something to do with him. Staring off into space, he also briefly wondered why she would need new clothing for that night. As far as he knew it was a casual type thing. Shrugging elegantly he returned to the house to find Souta parked in front of the television.

Stopping as he began to ascend the stairs, he had a sudden thought. Turning abruptly he headed into the TV room with Souta. The boy jumped slightly when he noticed Sesshomaru suddenly standing beside him staring down at the TV with a concentrated expression on his face. Just as Souta was about to ask him a question Sesshomaru spoke.

"Is it possible to show me current day music and forms of dancing on this tel-e-vis-sion?" he asked the boy. Souta considered the question a moment before he remembered that his sister was taking Sesshomaru to a night club that night and Sesshomaru obviously wanted to know what he was getting himself into. Souta cracked a huge grin.

Briefly explaining a few things to him, he had Sesshomaru sit down on the sofa and let him watch MTV and a few music video stations. Souta pointed out the types of music he'd be most likely to hear in a night club and explained the different forms of dance. Sesshomaru watched the TV intently and soaked up all the information he could so that he would not be caught unawares when he went to the club with Kagome.

After watching the music video channels for an hour, Sesshomaru nodded to himself, satisfied that he knew what he was doing and flipped the TV off. Heading upstairs to wait until Kagome came home, he was pleased with himself and knew that Kagome would be surprised that he would not be unprepared. He had been shocked by some of what he had seen on the television, so he was glad he had done his information gathering before hand. Now he wouldn't have the urge to kill everything in sight because he understood better what would be going on.

Indeed, Kagome would be greatly surprised. He looked forward to it.


	13. Chapter 13

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

YAY! The long awaited chapter is here for your reading enjoyment! I hope I don't disappoint anyone! -sweatdrop- You all have been so supportive and so encouraging, you guys are really awesome! I don't have time today to name you all by name because I'm leaving for work again and just wanted to get the chapter out. ENJOY:)

Chapter 13

Kagome arrived home with a sigh. Her friends had so much trouble picking out outfits for their night out that they left themselves only an hour in which to get ready. Hurrying upstairs, she glanced at Sesshomaru's room and noted that the door was closed before rushing into her own room to get ready. Dropping her packages on the bed and beginning to change she hoped ferverently that Sesshomaru was getting ready to go as well because they didn't have much time if they were to arrive with everyone else.

Quickly stripping out of her casual clothes, she slipped into her new outfit before rushing into the bathroom to fix her hair and do her makeup. The outfit she chose was much more revealing than anything she normally would have worn, but they _were_ going to a night club and she had the overwhelming desire to look extra sexy for a certain dog demon. Knowing that he wasn't impressed or attracted to humans didn't keep her from hoping he might see her as attractive tonight, so she went all out.

The shirt she had picked out was a light blue halter top that scooped down in the back exposing most of her nicely toned muscles from running around in the feudal era for so long. The top tied behind her neck and hugged her figure nicely, hanging a little long and covering the top of her pants. The pants were plain black unlike the sparkly ones her friends picked out. They hugged her hips like a second skin and accentuated her lean thighs and calves before flaring out to cover the chunky boots she had bought for the evening. No sense wearing open toed shoes and getting her toes stepped on. The outside seam of the pants on each leg split open at about mid calf and parted showing off the knee high lace up boots. To complete the ensemble she bought a chain link belt with little rhinestones encrusted in it to hang loosely around her waist on top of the long shirt. Assessing her appearance in the mirror, she thought she looked better than ever!

It didn't take her long to do her hair and makeup. She had always had a light hand with makeup and simply lightly colored her eyelids the same color as the shirt, put mascara on and a touch of lip gloss. Next she swept her mid-back length hair into a loose pile on her head with lots of tendrils hanging down to frame her face and whisp around her thin neck. Securing it in place so it wouldn't fall while dancing, she rushed out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. Keeping in mind Sesshomaru's sensitive nose, she lightly sprayed her favorite perfume into the air and let a mist settle on her to just give her a little extra scent.

Unbeknownst to her, Sesshomaru had been waiting in his room for her to emerge from the bathroom before approaching her. He was impeccably dressed in a long sleeved black shirt cuffed up to mid forearm; the first few buttons hung open accentuating the pale collar bones and swan like neck, it was a style he imitated from one of the men on the TV that he could tolerate emulating. The shirt tucked into black dress pants which were topped with a black leather belt and black dress shoes were on his feet.

Leaning on the door frame to Kagome's room he was surrounded by the smell of sakura blossoms and spring water, her own scent only much stronger, which he didn't mind at all. He watched her move to her desk and begin writing a note to her mother and studied her with mixed feelings. The outfit she had chosen was rather revealing and hugged her figure beautifully, showing off all the curves she had in just the right places and illustrating to him exactly how good of a figure she had. Not to create a misunderstanding, he greatly liked the outfit, but he knew every other male there would as well and he didn't want anyone else looking at his miko in that manner. Wait… _his miko?_ When the hell did that happen?

Just then Kagome turned around with the completed note in her hand and almost had to pick her jaw off the floor. Sesshomaru stood there leaning against her door as if he had not a care in the world, the all black outfit he was wearing not only showed off how muscular and elegant he was, but made his markings, pale skin and hair stand out magnificently. His hair looked much shinier and silkier than usual and his skin nearly glowed in the dim light in stark contrast to the darkness of his outfit. His natural masculine smell was much stronger as well and she resisted the urge to close her eyes and breathe in deeply. His scent was difficult for her to describe, though at that moment, she realized what his scent reminded her of. He smelled like a thunderstorm. Clean, beautiful, powerful, deadly, and refreshing, all in one. (heehee, get it? "Thunderstorms and Sakura Blossoms?... eh heh… yea ok, I'll shut up)

The peaceful look on his face and the way he regarded her told her more than words could that he was not angry with her for her words earlier and that he understood or at least did somewhat what she had been trying to do.

Smiling brightly she approached him, keeping eye contact.

"Ready?" she asked and he nodded once. Bounding down the stairs, she was much more excited than she had been all day. Perhaps this would not be as difficult an ordeal as she had originally thought. Sesshomaru seemed to be interested in the evening and was going into it with a good mood. This was a very good sign.

Leaving the note on the table for her mother explaining where they had gone and about what time they would be back, they left the house and headed downtown together.

Both of them could hear the beat of the music before they reached the club. The line to get in extended far down the street, but upon approaching they saw Eri, Yuka and Ayumi waving at them from some distance toward the front of the line so they joined them there. Sesshomaru basically tuned their excited chatter out as he studied the sound and feel of the place. The music was louder than he had anticipated it being, but it was not shrill, it was more of a thrumming beat that was loud. This did not present a big problem for him. One of the lessons he'd learned as a pup was hearing training. The youngster is assaulted with many different kinds of extraordinarily loud sounds and the demon has to learn to deal with the sounds and continue operating as if normal, especially in a fight.

Eventually they made it into the establishment and the girls squeals of delight were totally ignored by the demon accompanying them. Within moments of entering the building, he had already taken note of all the exits and how quickly he could reach each one with a protesting miko tucked under one arm.

Once this was done, he decided to actually look at the night club itself. The club consisted of a few rooms branching off the main room. One was a lounge where mostly the crowd old enough to drink resided for the evening and another was a smaller version of the club but with a different kind of music playing. The main room was impressive. There were raised portions of the floor for diversity in dancing and spiraling staircases led up to catwalks for ladies to dance on that hung suspended above the regular dance floor. Multicolored lights flashed everywhere, dazzling a normal person's vision and enchanting the dancers. A strobe light blinked in time with the music on one side of the room and on the opposite was a regular bar for underage and regular alcoholic drinks for dancers of age.

The girls led him to the bar to get a quick drink first before heading out onto the dance floor. They of course were not old enough to drink, but Sesshomaru sported a little bracelet on one arm that allowed him to partake of the alcoholic beverages. The bouncer at the door didn't even bother to card him. When the demon stepped up to the threshold behind the girls the bouncer had to look up considerably to see the demon's face. Though the bouncer was stocky and strong enough, he knew a fighter when he saw one. Resisting the urge to stare, he simply took out the bracelet and handed it to the demon, letting Kagome wrap it around his wrist and secure it before ushering them inside.

Sesshomaru ignored the fact that his height and physical appearance made him the center of attention, especially among the women. He had been expecting this and was actually quite used to it. Even in the demon society, he was a very highly sought after 'bachelor' and many demonesses clamored for his attention. The stoic demon was very adept at ignoring their advances and this would be no different.

Kagome glanced up at him nervously and was relieved to see him very relaxed, leaning against the bar and letting his eyes roam over the room and take everything in, he was adapting very human-like postures which shocked the miko. Figuring his favorite drink would not be something that was served in this club, he settled for telling the bartender to surprise him with something strong. The guy behind the bar smirked slightly and gave him a very strong mix of vodka and sprite. Sniffing it disdainfully for a moment, he locked eyes with the still smirking bartender and proceeded to drain the glass within seconds without breaking eye contact. Setting the glass down he slid it with precision at the bartender and scoffed lightly.

"You call that strong?" pushing away from the bar he ignored the bartender's incredulous look and let Kagome lead him out into the dance floor. Ignoring the occasionally bumping and 'accidental brushing' of someone's hand, the three girls and the demon made it a short distance into the floor. The whole way there, Sesshomaru listened to the type of music that was playing and took note of the way both male and female dancers moved.

The other three girls started dancing and were quickly joined by free guys in the area and Kagome turned to Sesshomaru half expecting to need to teach him or end up with him just standing there. Needless to say she was shocked and extremely pleased when he suddenly took the lead, putting his hands on her hips and dancing with _her_ not the other way around. A light blush rose into her cheeks, thankfully hidden by the dark room and flashing lights, she felt his hips against hers and his legs brush her own as they moved in time with the music.

A techno song was playing over the loud speakers and Kagome's hips swayed with surprising flexibility as her feet stepped in time to the beat and her arms moved accentuating her hips and waist. Sesshomaru moved in a similar fashion, though more masculine and graceful. It took only a short while for him to realize he might actually really enjoy the dancing in their era. It was far more physical than anything in the feudal time and was far more energetic as well.

Soon enough a small space had been created around the couple as they moved together and danced and people began cheering them on. Kagome grinned as her eyes met Sesshomaru's and they continued to dance, his own graceful movement making hers look more graceful and his silver hair flowing about them as they twisted and moved making their dance look even more exotic.

When the song finally changed the people around them cheered before turning back to their own dancing, letting the couple resume a regular pace. Kagome giggled a little as her friends gathered around and oozed all over them both before returning to the partners each had found. Kagome grinned up at him.

"You learned how to dance…" she began, posing the question to him. He nodded lightly and looked down at her.

"I asked your little brother about dancing in this era and he played 'sta-tions' with dancing and this era's music on them and explained the different styles of music and the dances that go with them," he shrugged one elegant shoulder. "It wasn't difficult to pick up." Kagome rolled her eyes, of course it wasn't difficult for _him_ to pick up.

Sesshomaru caught the look and with an inward smirk decided to pay her back for it. Before she could make a sound he twirled her around in place and settled a large elegant hand on each hip pulling her back up against his front. Her hips were just a little bit lower than his own, but the effect was there regardless. Their hips rolled in unison, his hands pressing hers flush against his as they dipped, swayed and stepped. Though the couple was no longer the center of attention, they certainly still drew a lot of looks and lustful stares.

He mostly ignored the occasional hand 'brushing' his hip, thighs or buttocks, but then he realized that one particularly insistent hand on his thigh belonged to the woman in front of him. The beat of the music had turned decidedly sensual and Kagome had slipped down his body so her upper back was now pressed against the front of his hips instead. Her legs and hips moved in undulating motions that accentuated the roundness of her hips and butt and her upper body moved against him as he moved with her, keeping his feet still so she wouldn't fall. He watched in fascination as Kagome danced down below him, her arms extended upward and wrapped around his hips, the flat of her palms found his lower back and pressed themselves there as her hips and upper body continued to swivel in opposite directions. While watching the television he had never seen anything like this before.

Briefly he wondered to himself how weak human men were able to sustain an assault such as the one Kagome was throwing against him now until he glanced off to his side and realized that they didn't. A short distance away a young man appeared to be sucking the very face off the female he was dancing with in his fumbling attempts to kiss her. Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose.

His attention was brought sharply back to the woman dancing down around his knees when she suddenly shifted away from him. He made a move to bring her back against him again, but she had other things in mind. From a crouched position on the floor, she suddenly extended her legs upward into a standing position slowly and sensually, making sure to roll her hips as her knees straightened, leaving her hands on the floor and her upper body bent over. Running her hands up her legs she straightened up fully, her back completely straight. Sesshomaru nearly groaned. He had never seen anything quite like that in his entire life and he hoped never to again unless it was in the privacy of his own bedroom where he could actually do something about it.

Shaking his head mentally of those thoughts, he refused to dwell on them, shoving them back into the recesses of his mind where they belonged. He was a demon and she was a human miko. He was from the past and she was from the future. Not going to happen. Plus he was a cold heartless beast. Shouldn't she be scared of him? Suppressing an inward sigh, he knew she wasn't and that it was because he had become soft toward her.

Kagome felt the demon's hands go around her torso and pull her back against him again and smiled. She couldn't believe he was taking this all so well and seemed to actually be enjoying himself. Who would have thought? Briefly she also wondered how he had taken her little retaliation for his move earlier. Her arms extended over her head to wrap behind her and around his neck, her fingers brushed his silver tresses and their bodies undulated in unison.

_Kami, this wasn't fair! _He thought looking down the long expanse of Kagome displayed before him for his viewing pleasure. His beast had never responded to another female _ever_ but now he was doing all he could to restrain his youkai beast within and keep his eyes from going red. His beast wanted her, wanted this human with the polar opposite powers of his. Sure, he had slept with other demonesses, but his beast had remained strangely silent and the females simply served as stress reliever. Now his beast was clawing at his insides demanding he take the woman and mark her before someone else did. Why in Kami's name did it have to pick a human? A human miko at that. Asking him the same question over again never changed the answer he knew to be true. She was beautiful in an innocent way with her dazzling blue eyes and matching blue black hair, toned yet soft body and womanly though young curves. Then there was the woman within the body. She was strong and resilient, but at the same time kind toward everyone whether demon or human. The confounded woman saw everyone as equal, though she recognized superiority when she saw it. Then there was that stubborn pride of hers. Which he was sure was responsible for the way she was dancing a moment ago. She had the need to irk him as much as he did her. It was a game they hadn't realized they had been playing from the very beginning.

He let out a small huff of frustration that went unnoticed due to the heavy beat of the music. Things could never be between the two of them, so it was better to ignore her completely. Yea, not possible with her rubbing up and down against him.

Flashes of light off to the side caught his attention since they were different from the ones over head and his rhythm slowed, making Kagome looked up at him and then looked for the object that caught his attention. Quickly a crowd formed around a single dancer who was raving off to one side, small blue lights were swirling around him in complex designs, making the crowd 'ooh' and 'aah.' Sesshomaru watched for a moment before looking down at the miko still clutched to the front of him and briefly wondered why he was still holding her there.

"He is rather inexperienced at that, I can do much more complex things with my poison whip," he stated. Kagome slated a look up at him.

"Yes, but we don't want to kill everyone present," Sesshomaru thought that over for a moment before shrugging as if it wasn't his problem.

"The only way they would die is if they were stupid and walked into the whip," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Think you could do it if I bought you some rave lights on strings like his?" Sesshomaru glanced at the dancer then back at her as if she had asked a 'duh' question. Kagome rolled her eyes again and smiled.

"Males," extracting themselves from the crowd, they made their way over to one side of the bar where one of the club workers was selling raving stuff. Sesshomaru chose the green lights over the blue or red ones and they made their way back out onto the floor.

"Now, remember, we'll get kicked out if you hurt anyone," Kagome warned him and he nodded once.

Sesshomaru quickly flipped on the lights and Kagome backed away a little. Feeling the weight of the lights on the strings first, he began twirling them in similar motions to the raver to the side, gauging their capabilities before doing more. The crowd cheered when they noticed the raver had competition and the first guy picked up his pace, thinking to out do the demon who seemed to constantly have everyone's attention.

Satisfied, Sesshomaru began to whirl the lights around him faster and faster, his wrists and forearms moving with fluid precision that comes of centuries of practice. His father had him learn complex hand movements such as these because the more you can dazzle your enemy, the better you can throw them off to what you're actually doing. Taking those lessons he learned, he simply changed them to make designs and swirls that would impress a crowd.

Kagome watched in amazement as Sesshomaru's hands moved almost too fast to see, the lights formed arcs and swirls all around him, highlighting his unusual coloring in the effervescent green light. Even the other raver slowed his movements to watch the stoic demon in astonishment. Sesshomaru had insisted that they buy two pair instead of one and Kagome held out a third string for Sesshomaru to add to the ones in his hands. Once he took that one she held out the fourth and soon he had all four strings swirling, dipping and arcing around him, his deft fingers controlling each string, avoiding tangling them and drawing out excited claps and chatter from his watchers.

Once the song came to a close he deftly caught each one and nodded his head at the applause he received. He wasn't used to displaying his talents for others to enjoy and he had honestly only done it for Kagome. Turning to where he had left the girl, he saw that Hojo boy had finally found her and had expressed his desire to claim the dance he had reserved. Suppressing a growl, he resisted the urge to tear the boy away from his miko, but decided instead to head to the bar. Kagome did not appear to be in distress, just a little bored, so he left her be until she felt she had need of him again.

Settling on a bar stool he ordered a drink and watched Kagome from the corner of his eye. She had a very fake smile plastered on her face and she looked like she was trying to find whatever the boy was saying interesting, but was failing miserably. It also pleased him greatly that her body was as far removed from the boy's as possible. A far cry from how she'd danced with _him._ Suppressing a snicker, he picked up his drink and was about to take a sip when he heard a voice beside him that he really had hoped not to hear.

"Well, well, look who we have here," his eye lids drooped and he resisted the urge to bring his poison into his claws. "Bored of Kagome already? Well I can understand why, she's not terribly attractive and she's such a bore," the girl from Kagome's high school who had insulted her the day he'd attended parked herself on the stool next to him. He didn't care what her name was, but Hanako popped into mind. Studying the drink in his glass he astutely ignored the girl, but she continued anyway.

"You look positively delicious tonight," she commented looking him up and down in the most revolting manner, "I would like it very much if you would dance with me," she said laying a highly manicured hand on Sesshomaru's forearm and pulling lightly to try and get him out onto the dance floor. A low growl that only she could hear stopped her in her tracks and her eyes snapped to the pale face. His eyes glinted dangerously and she shivered slightly at the almost feral hatred he was staring at her with.

"You will remove your hand from me or you will cease to be capable of using it ever again," her hand jumped off his arm as if she'd been burned and she tried to compose herself.

"Well, if you're going to act that way, then I _won't_ dance with you," she said trying to twist things around so that she wouldn't have been the one rejected.

"That is fine," he said haughtily, "because I do not associate with disgusting, painted sluts such as yourself," turning back to his drink he turned his back fully to her. Hanako's face flushed bright red and she noticed all the kids from her school that she recognized looking at her in disdain. Quickly she excused herself and hurried off to the bathroom.

Glancing around, Sesshomaru realized he had lost sight of Kagome. Searching the dance floor he finally spotted her in a dark part of the room with Hojo. The boy's back was to the demon, but he could clearly see a look of panic that crossed the miko's face as Hojo leaned toward her, despite the girl's hands on his chest to ward him off. Cursing to himself silently for his inattention, he left his drink at the bar and quickly made his way over to the couple.

Kagome had been trying to get it through Hojo's head all through their dance that she wasn't interested in him and that she liked him as a friend. The boy wasn't listening and kept insisting that he had more to offer than the tall silver haired man. Suddenly Kagome realized that Hojo had maneuvered them into a dark part of the room before she had noticed and was now trying to kiss her. Putting her hands on his chest and trying to push him away didn't work, he just kept pushing toward her harder until she had her back pushed up against a wall.

"Hojo, stop!" she closed her eyes and turned her face away. Suddenly the pressure on her was gone and she opened her eyes timidly. Her eyes widened when she saw a very angry Sesshomaru standing over Hojo who was now lying on his back on the floor. People all around them were staring at them in shock as Sesshomaru proceeded to growl menacingly at the shaking boy.

"Do not touch her ever again," the tall demon growled down at the boy who was as pale as a ghost and couldn't even form a response. Kagome looked up to see a bouncer making his way over to them and decided to step in. Coming up behind the bristling demon, she wrapped her arms around his forearm and drew his attention to her.

"Sesshomaru," she said quietly, "I'm tired, will you take me home?" the bouncer arrived just then and Sesshomaru nodded. Quietly they made their way to the door as onlookers began explaining to the bouncer what had happened and others stared at the couple as they left.

Finally out of the club and in the open Kagome sighed in relief and breathed the night air. She had fun that night, but Hojo had really ruined the rest of the evening there, so she was glad to be finally out of the building and away from all the music and the lights. Sesshomaru was just as grateful. His hearing was much more sensitive and the music had taken a toll on him. He felt as if he had linen shoved in his ears and his eyes took longer than usual to shift into night vision.

The couple made their way in silence down the street, heading slowly in the direction of Kagome's house. Kagome sidled up beside the tall demon and he placed a comforting arm around her, pulling her close to him to help ward off the chill night air. Both were lost in their own thoughts as they walked side by side.

Sesshomaru thought at length about the strange woman who seemed to, without even knowing it, create a change in him that he never would have thought possible. He was far from being a loving person, but somehow, the enigma of a woman had melted a hole in the ice around his heart and had found her way in. Briefly the thought wandered through his mind asking when exactly he had decided he didn't mind Kagome touching him.

On Kagome's part, she was wondering what had created such a change in the stoic lord. His expressions had begun to seep out around his icy mask and his eyes had begun to reflect more of what he was thinking instead of that bored look he always showed everyone. Or maybe she was just beginning to recognize things that were always there. There was also the way he had been acting around her. Sure, he tended to revert back to asshole mode sometimes, but then there were times like tonight when he surprised the living daylights out of her.

He had danced with her that night as if he had actually wanted her. At first she thought he was doing it simply because it was what he had seen on TV, but sneaking a few glances at his face told her otherwise. The taiyoukai had actually been enjoying himself, and it was _because _of her.

Hope flickered in her chest. Could it be that he was actually growing to like her? Could the beautiful, stoic demon actually feel something more than friends? Suddenly her chest constricted in guilt. They had been in the future together for less than a week since the tragic battle with Naraku and already she was falling for someone else, her first love's brother, no less! How could she be so fickle? Was her love for InuYasha really that shallow that she would turn to the first person who came along?

Sesshomaru felt the shift in her mood and pulled himself out of his own musings to look down at her. Kagome's face was creased in a frown and a slight look of despair marked her features, making him want to smooth them out with his fingers and make it go away.

"What is wrong?" he asked, thinking she was still fretting over the stupid boy in the club. Kagome's head snapped up to the object of her guilt and her mind froze. How on earth was she supposed to tell him what was wrong? _I'm just feeling guilty because I think I'm falling quickly in love with you and you happen to be the older half brother of the guy I used to be in love with._ Yea, she was sure that would go over really well. She was pretty sure he didn't feel the same way about her either. Sure, he looked like he was enjoying her company in the club, but that was totally different than loving someone. Staring up at him for a moment, she finally looked away with a flush rising into her cheeks.

"It's nothing," she said, hoping he would drop it. Sesshomaru saw inner conflict in her deep blue eyes while she had looked at him and determined it wasn't about the boy in the club. What was she upset about then? Deciding to leave her obvious untruth alone and let her be for the night, he dropped the subject and returned to his own musings, now adding the mystery of what was bothering her to his thoughts.

Unbeknownst to the couple, seven pairs of highly interested eyes watched them as they continued down the street. A frustrated 'keh' sound popped out of a head covered in silver hair similar to the tall demon's, little ears twitched irritatedly from their perch on each side of the silver head. Seven beings crowded around a small pool in the middle of a beautiful ancient Japanese garden watching the image of the couple shimmering on the surface.

A woman in a demon exterminator outfit clapped her hands excitedly.

"Wow! I never thought Kagome and Sesshomaru would look so good together! He really seems to be warming up to her a lot too!" a houshi in black and purple robes beside her nodded his head thoughtfully as his hand wandered detachedly to her round backside. A scream of HENTAI broke their concentration and a resounding slap sounded through the gardens. A tiny little fox demon shook his head from his vantage point across the pool.

"Miroku never learns. You'd think death would have cured him," a woman dressed in a miko outfit nearby giggled and leaned her head on the hanyou's shoulder.

"I think it made him worse," everyone nodded in agreement as the houshi in question lay on the bank twitching, a huge red handprint and a decidedly happy smirk on his young face despite the fact that he was very unconscious.

The hanyou huffed in frustration as he continued to watch the couple. Kikyou noticed the guilty look that crossed the living miko's features and correctly guessed what was going on in the girl's mind.

"She is feeling guilty about her feelings for your brother," everyone looked up at the miko in shock, "she feels she is betraying her love for InuYasha because she has fallen for the taiyoukai so quickly." After a moment everyone around the pool began to nod.

Conversation became decidedly quiet and everyone around noticed their numbers had been reduced to five, as the fox demon and the energetic little girl had wandered off to play hide and seek. A toad looking creature sat off to the side and wasn't much help to the conversation as he lamented his lord's falling in love with a mere ningen, earning him the occasional bop on the head by the females present.

Kikyou studied the pair who had just begun to ascend the stairs of the shrine, still arm in arm, but getting no where emotionally. Touching her chin with one finger, she thought about possible solutions.

"I think," she said suddenly, turning all conversation over to her, "that you should visit her tonight, InuYasha, and let her know that you approve of her love with your brother and that you wish her well. If she knew you were ok with it and that you were happy for her, she might not feel so guilty and might actually try for something between the two of them. Kami knows, he really needs it!" Everyone nodded in enthusiastic agreement. The raven head of Rin popped up between InuYasha and Kikyou and she clapped excitedly.

"Yay! Rin will have a mommy when Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-chan finally join us!" everyone smiled at the little girl's outburst and just as quickly she was gone, chasing after the little fox demon who had tagged her.

InuYasha had been tempted to turn the suggestion down flat, but considering the couple entering the house through their view in the pool and thinking about her well being, he decided that he wanted nothing more than to see her happy. In life he had been content knowing she was there for him and now in death, he had found love again in his first love's arms. He wanted Kagome to have the same happiness.

Nodding slightly he agreed to their plan, much to the excitement of the rest of the group. Finally, they were returning the favor for Kagome, she had taken care of them for their entire travels, always thinking of them first and now they finally had a chance to pay her back.

Well, all except for Miroku who was unconscious again when another shout of HENTAI and a resounding smack echoed through the clearing. Everyone around the pool sighed.


	14. Chapter 14

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Holy reviews! I can't believe how many I got this time around! I'll do my best to answer all the questions, if I miss one then gomen! I'll try to get it next time around!

turniquet, mad monk, inugirl06, bBlack Dahlia, mangadreams, NekoYasha101, Eternityoftears, Scruffy Wolf, ktshabati, Rinagurl13 - you guys are awesome! Some of the names have been with me since the beginning and you have no idea how much I appreciate that! Honestly, I don't think I could keep the pace if I didn't get any reviews!

FluffyLover7 - It made you cry! Why? Did I do something wrong? I don' t think it was supposed to make you cry, is this a good kind of crying? -sweatdrop-

YamiYoukai - You need to know that you absolutely made my day yesterday, or early this morning rather! I logged in to check my messages at -ahem- three in the morning and found a huge and detailed review by you! Thank you so much! What you wrote has told me so much that I needed to know, especially that the feeling I was attempting to get across and the measure of the strength of the characters is correct. Thank you so much!

Sessluver - -sigh- You are indeed correct that it is Sesshomaru that throws the monkey wrench in their relationship, though you will see it's not entirely his fault. Thank you for the awesome review! And don't worry! I'm not going anywhere! This'll be a long one and I'll stick it out to the end, even if I have to drop back my update schedule slightly.

WHEW! Ok peoples! DON'T HATE ME! This is a very different chapter and I had alot of fun writing it, my editor said that I managed to keep the characters fairly in character, but please let me know what you think! Oh, and by the way, I'm not going to make it easy on our destined couple here... yes, they will get a happy ending, but I'm gonna make it hard for them to accomplish it, because in reality I think it would be really hard for a relationship to form between them. ANYWAYS, they've got a long road ahead of them, so keep me updated to your thoughts and I'll try to fix any discrepancies I find or you all point out! ENJOY!

**Chapter 14**

Kagome tossed and turned, the light of the moon filtering through her window and playing shadows on her ceiling. Her feelings toward a certain stoic taiyoukai confused her greatly and left her feeling guilty about her love for InuYasha. Kagome flipped over and faced the wall, glaring at it slightly as if it would give her the answers if she tried hard enough. With a sigh she flipped onto her back again and stared at the ceiling.

"What should I do?" she whispered to the darkness, not expecting an answer back.

"Keh, I think you should stop being a coward and actually go for something that you want," Kagome's eyes flew wide open at the familiar voice and she whirled around in bed to find a familiar face crouched by the side of her bed. Without thinking, she threw herself out of bed toward the apparition in her happiness. Panic flashed through the ghostly InuYasha's face as she passed right through him and landed hard on the floor.

His ears twitched in annoyance and his eyes closed, a small vein popping out of his forehead. _Kami, the girl will never change!_ Kagome picked herself up off the floor and got right in InuYasha's face.

"That was the dumbest thing you could possibly have done," he started in on her.

"Well if you hadn't scared the living daylights out of me and appeared so suddenly, I might not have reacted so rashly!"

"That doesn't make you any less of a baka for trying to hug a _ghost_!"

"You're the baka! Stop sneaking up on me like that!"

"Baka!"

"Baka!"

Silence, snickers. Tears started forming in Kagome's eyes and InuYasha shifted uncomfortably.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you and everyone else," sniffle, "why did I have to be the only one left behind?" Her face dropped covering her eyes with her bangs.

"Kagome, listen to me. Things happened the way they happened for a reason. None of us are sure why yet, but believe me, this was all for the best. You lived because there is something you need to accomplish. The Kami's weren't ready to take you yet." His hand came up as if touching her cheek; Kagome could feel the cold radiating off his ghost.

"You need to let go of us. Of me." He stared into her eyes with complete sincerity for once, his eyes only a shadow of the pale amber they once were. "We're no longer living and you need to let us go in favor of ones who _are_ living. There's someone that needs you, the time for the love we had is gone. You know in your heart as well that it wasn't anything lasting. If we had thought about it seriously when I was alive, we would have realized it was more brotherly and sisterly than loverly." Kagome nodded a little, tears spilling down her cheeks. A small smile broke through her tears as she considered the ghost before her.

"Who are you and what have you done with my coarse, rude and inarticulate InuYasha," a grin spread over InuYasha's transparent face and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well, I guess death kinda does that to you, doesn't it?" they laughed together. "Kagome, we've all seen you over the past few days, the whole gang's been watching over you. We're all happy with the way things have been developing, but we have to go. We've been waiting in limbo to see how things would turn out for you and to intervene if necessary," he touched her cheek again lightly.

"Live, be happy. Don't dwell in death with us. You'll get here eventually, but not before you're good and ready!" with those words he jumped to his feet and 'keh'ed to someone unseen to her.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" smiling, he waved and was gone.

Kagome still sat on the floor staring into the empty space where he once was. Thoughts tumbled around in her head making a general mess out of everything she had tried to make so neat and orderly. Wait… so they have been watching and are _happy_ with what's going on? Meaning, InuYasha is _happy_ that I'm spending time with Sesshomaru? Kagome continued to sit on the floor thinking over everything he had just told her.

Sesshomaru stood unnoticed in the doorway. A few minutes ago Tenseiga had jerked in its sheath and he felt a pulse of something he didn't recognize coming from Kagome's room. Moments later he heard a thud and hurried over to her room to investigate. The sight that met his eyes made him want to laugh out loud, though being Sesshomaru, he of course did nothing but stare with his usual bored look.

Kagome had been lying in a heap on the floor with InuYasha's feet disappearing somewhere in the vicinity of her lower back from where he crouched. The little miko then proceeded to right herself and get right into the face of the ghost and argue with him. Sesshomaru had been slightly surprised to see his brother's ghost in the room and turned to leave the two alone when InuYasha had started to talk to her seriously.

It surprised him slightly that his brother was capable of such deep thinking on his part and that he was also capable of expressing those thoughts in such a concise manner. After his ghost disappeared he watched Kagome consider the hanyou's words for a moment before leaving silently to return to his own room. So that's what had plagued the miko. _She was feeling guilty about spending time with this Sesshomaru?_ Something still didn't quite add up in the taiyoukai's mind, but it at least made a little more sense now.

Kagome meanwhile was still warring with her own mind. If what she believed was true, InuYasha was telling her it was alright to fall in love with his older brother. But he didn't say anything about said older brother loving her back. She sighed and leaned back against the side of her bed. Yes, Kagome knew she was developing feelings for Sesshomaru despite the fact that he was cold, arrogant, deadly, had a nasty temper, refused to call her by her name, generally looked down on her like she was dirt under her feet, and oh, my Kami, does he have beautiful hair! _NO! I'm supposed to be thinking about this pragmatically! _He also has a general dislike for anything human, which would include the miko in question, he likes to kill things, he carries a demonic sword who will possess anyone who is unfortunate enough to touch it, oh and then there's the small detail that he's a demon lord who will live for a very, very long time. This all doesn't add up to a very successful relationship.

On the other hand, he's been a lot nicer recently, whether he's been showing emotion more, or Kagome's just gotten used to him more, but he's been more readable, he's lowered himself to teach swordsmanship to a mere ningen, he went to a dance club with the same ningen and _oh my Kami can the man dance… NO NO NO, pragmatic thoughts! No thoughts of very lean, muscular hips pressing up against… NO NO NO! Lots of cold water, snow is good, waterfalls, icy waterfalls, waterfalls with icy lords in them, who happen to be divest of any clothing… NO! BAD! Oh my Kami! I'm a pervert! I'm as bad as Miroku!_ Kagome groaned quietly to herself.

Getting back on the subject at hand and mentally piling lots of layers of clothing on the mental image of a certain demon wandering around in her mind, wreaking havoc on anything he touched, she tried to make some sense of her thoughts. Yes, he's made some changes recently. No, she's not ready to get into a relationship with him. However, let's see how a friendship kinda thing will work out. You never know, sometimes friends can become something a lot more and friends would _definitely_ be a good start for him.

Nodding her head slightly at her decision, she finally decided to get up off the floor and crawl back into bed. She fell asleep fairly quickly and slept soundly through the night.

The next morning found Kagome getting up with a relieved sigh, her cheeks flaming red and her pulse through the roof. _I need to stop thinking in such vivid images._ Because of her forays in thought the night before, he dreams were haunted by a certain very pale demon who refused to stay dressed. He had run around her dreams giggling madly… _GIGGLING?_ and throwing off clothing here and there for Kagome to retrieve and continue chasing after him to try and put them back on him. Eventually she had given up on the clothing in favor of a blanket and had tried smothering the demon with it without catching a glimpse at anything too… ahem important. _Blush_.

Kagome made her way downstairs groaning slightly; thanking the Kami's that it was Sunday. Reaching the kitchen doorway, she suddenly froze in her tracks. Once again, the image of a very naked demon so resembling the one sitting at the table regarding her over his coffee cup went prancing through her mind, trailing white hair behind him, giggling like a school girl and with a chibified version of herself chasing after him with an armful of blankets and suddenly she couldn't help herself anymore.

Sesshomaru looked up as a very disheveled Kagome appeared in the door way, practically gaped at him, a huge blush suddenly spreading across her cheeks and down her neck to disappear in her oversized t-shirt before unexpectedly and rather suddenly bursting into uncontrollable laughter. One silver eyebrow was raised at the girl laughing like a madman in the door way. The girl's legs decided then to give out on her and she fell in a heap on the floor, still in the doorway, though it seemed she was attempting to control her laughter and was giggling in the most insane manner possible.

The demon being laughed at looked down at himself and then back at the heap of giggles on the floor, his mind trying desperately to discover for himself what had made the girl dissolve into a pile resembling Kagome on the floor. He waited patiently as her giggling finally began to slow and she held her trembling sides, trying desperately to breathe while tears ran down her cheeks.

Suddenly Kagome stopped laughing completely with a strange hiccup sound when she remembered that not only was she laughing outright at the most powerful demon in the entire feudal era, but that most powerful demon in the entire feudal era just so happened to be sitting at her kitchen table glaring at her in a most disconcerting manner, leaving no doubt in her mind that he _knew_ he was being laughed at and was none too happy about it.

Gulping slightly, she picked herself up off the floor, as nonchalantly as possible brushed off her clothing, turned on her heel and disappeared out the door. Sesshomaru was about to push himself up out of his chair and follow her to wring answers out of her skinny little neck when she suddenly appeared again, a smile plastered on her face as she walked into the kitchen as if nothing had happened.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru. I trust you slept well?" she asked the demon who was now half standing, both palms flat on the table, frozen in place and staring at her as if she was insane. _Good Kami, the girl's snapped_. Kagome poured herself a cup of coffee and went to sit at the table when she felt a looming presence behind her. A large clawed hand plucked the coffee mug from her hand and set it aside while another large clawed hand settled on the top of her head and turned her around forcefully. Kagome was met by two slim amber eyes narrowed in annoyance and very close to her own and she 'eep'ed slightly. Sesshomaru spoke very slowly.

"What… in Kami's name… was that?" he asked her, forcing her to keep eye contact. Kagome gulped and stared into the endless pools of amber that filled her vision.

"Um… uh…" her mind was racing, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. She couldn't exactly tell the demon lurking so close to her that she had dreamt about him running around in her head naked giggling like a school girl. She was pretty sure that wouldn't go over well at all. But being Kagome, lying just wasn't something that she did very well.

"Um… I uh… I… er…" Sesshomaru continued to stare at her, not letting up on her one bit. "I, um… I had a dream about you…" _Kami, good going, Kagome._ One silver eyebrow quirked up. "And uh… it uh… you… er… ran around a lot," oh this was good. _Great going, in no time you'll be telling him the truth and you will die. Nice._ Sesshomaru's eyes betrayed nothing.

"And…?" the cool voice made her jump.

"And uh… it was funny?" she ended lamely. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he continued to bore into her. She scrambled for something to tell him to appease the deadly man hanging over her. "Well I mean, come on! Seeing you run around in my head isn't exactly something you would do! I mean you're too dignified for that! So it was rather funny to see you running around like that," Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed down to slits, he knew she was hiding something else from him. So what does Kagome do when she gets really nervous? She babbles really quickly.

"Imeanwhowouldn't?,',Imeanitwasadream,right?" suddenly Kagome realized what she'd blurted out, but apparently so had the demon lurking over her because his face froze in a look of complete shock. Kagome knew there was nothing for it, she was going to die. So what does a brave miko do when she knows she's going to die? She runs squealing like a little girl of course, and that's exactly what Kagome did.

Fortunately for her, Sesshomaru seemed to be frozen in a state similar to shock. Therefore it took a few moments for his mind to finish processing what the woman had just blurted out to him and then to register that the same woman had just taken off in the direction of the bathroom squealing in the oddest manner.

A switch flipped in his head and inuyoukai instincts took over; his prey had just run away from him. Just then he heard the bathroom door slam and click, signifying that she had locked it behind her. Stalking to the bathroom door, he went to bang on it and knock it down, but before his hand reached the door, he was singed and his hand was repulsed. Regaining control of his mind, he realized she had enacted a barrier around the bathroom door in anticipation of his coming after her. He growled deep in his chest.

"If you wish to live past breakfast, you will open this door now," he growled and was rewarded with a small 'eep' from within, but the door did not open and the barrier did not drop. Thinking quickly, he needed to figure out a way to get her to come out of the bathroom without destroying the house. Just then Souta came out of his room looking like he had just woken up.

"Oh, sis is locked in the bathroom?" he asked the youkai who nodded. "I know how you can get her out," he boy motioned for the taiyoukai to follow him and brought him downstairs to the phone by the bottom of the stairs, still within hearing distance of the bathroom. Quickly, Souta whispered an explanation of what the taiyoukai was to do before loudly re-explaining slightly differently so that Kagome would hear.

"See, this thing is called a phone," he said loudly, grinning broadly, "if you push these numbers in certain orders you can talk to other people over great distances. If you push this particular sequence of numbers in, you can speak into this thing and hear out of this thing and talk to that guy Hojo that goes to Kagome's school." Sesshomaru nodded as he took the phone from the youngster, a wicked gleam in his amber eyes.

"I will reward you later," he whispered to the boy before he scampered off, not willing to be around to see the aftermath of what he'd started. In a clear voice, Sesshomaru did as Souta had instructed in their whispered conversation.

"Yes, ningen? I believe your name was Hojo is that correct? Yes? Kagome has informed me that last night was a mistake and she wishes to have you court her," from upstairs he heard a muffled cry and a door being yanked open. _Bingo._

Before Kagome even really realized what she had done, having barely made it through the door she'd just opened, she was lifted off her feet and the world tipped wildly around her. Momentarily she realized she was tucked under the arm of a very strong demon and was being carried outside the house. Sesshomaru knew this was going to be loud considering the way she was already kicking and screaming at him and took off for their forest practice area. The demon in question had Kagome around the waist, tucked under his left arm with her head facing behind him. The squirming girl managed to plant a few good kicks in on him before he stilled them with slight pressure from the claws of his right hand.

Kagome hung from his arm like a rag doll, she'd given up on kicking when she'd felt his claws on her and resigned herself to just be carried until he saw fit to put her down or drop her. Long silver hair swished in her face as he moved with demon speed, though where they were going, she wasn't sure. Though she may have stopped kicking, she certainly didn't stop yelling.

"I can't believe you did that! What an underhanded trick! I would think something like that would be beneath you!" she continued haranguing him as he ran, though the demon ignored her in favor of concentrating on not staring at her legs. The miko had gone to bed wearing an over sized t-shirt and short gym shorts which were now creased up in the fold of her hip since her body was bent at somewhat of a ninety degree angle, giving him a very nice and long expanse of creamy skin and shapely leg to look at. The shorts barely covered the round underside of her bottom and he counted slowly to himself to keep his mind occupied as he raced toward their practice spot, hoping to get there before he let himself slip.

Arriving at last in the meadow, he dropped her unceremoniously on the ground and turned to face the sputtering heap of miko who was currently trying to right herself. Crossing his arms over his chest he put on his most cold and stern look, usually reserved for those he was about to kill very slowly and painfully.

"Now, miko, perhaps you would like to repeat what you had just said in the kitchen, only more slowly and concisely. I'm not sure I heard you correctly." Kagome finally righted herself and jumped to her bare feet with her fists balled up at her sides, staring right back at the demon looming over her.

"You heard every word that I said otherwise I wouldn't be out here! Furthermore, no matter what I said you have no right to treat me like this! A dream is a dream; I can't control what I see in my dreams any more than I can control you! Get over yourself and come down off your high horse, Sesshomaru-_sama_," she yelled, putting sarcastic emphasis on his title. Her stomach dropped into her toes as she saw his eyes tinge red at the corners. _Uh, oh… note to self, do not anger deadly demon lord who can tear me apart in many different ways…oops, too late. _

"You dare to speak to me that way?" his voice was a raspy hiss and Kagome shivered slightly, but stood her ground.

"And you dare to treat me this way!" she spat right back at him, a pink aura forming around her, her fists clenched so hard at her sides that her knuckles were white. She was sick of his attitude, sick of him acting like he was better than her, sick of him ruining all her hard work to become friends with him simply because he has a male ego, she was _SICK OF IT ALL_. The air became physically charged with energy as her aura powered up around her.

Sesshomaru's beast raged within him to force this woman into submission, to take her and make her his and show her who was dominant. His breathing became ragged as he forced himself under control. If his beast became unleashed, he could very well kill her without even knowing it. A low warning growl clawed its way out of his chest, telling her in no uncertain terms to back down or face the consequences.

Kagome saw the struggle rising in the demon before her and felt his aura flare, but she couldn't help herself, she would no longer be cowed by this brute. When he growled in warning, she surprised herself by growling back.

Within in the blink of an eye he was lunging toward her. Kagome barely had time to throw her arms over her head, a shimmering pink barrier flew up around her, not only repelling the demon's attack, but throwing him halfway across the field. Sesshomaru landed on his feet and slid backward, his momentum finally slowing as he made contact with the ground, his feet and one steadying hand digging trails in the ground attesting to the power of her barrier.

The barrier dropped and Kagome faced him fearlessly, bright pink auras flaring to life around her small hands as she dropped into a defensive crouch. All thoughts fled her mind save defending herself against an enraged demon, her mind clicked into combat mode and her eyes narrowed at the demon straightening up.

This time when he attacked, she dodged instead, trying to keep up with the inhuman speed of the demon. Suddenly he appeared behind her and knocked her to the ground. Hitting the ground with at thud, she realized he had followed her movement and was now crouched above her, his face was twisted into a feral snarl and his fangs had grown slightly to poke out of his lips as he stared down at her with mostly red eyes. Kagome punched upward into his chest with both hands and he went flying backward, the force of her purifying energy throwing him off her and leaving a stinging burn on his otherwise perfect chest.

Snarling, he was outraged that she'd managed to actually hurt him, _her,_ a mere ningen miko. The more human part of his mind screamed at him that she was no mere ningen miko and was a force to be reckoned with, but his beast ignored him. He wanted the woman and he would do what he had to in order to beat her into submission and claim her.

The struggle for dominance raged on in Sesshomaru as the demon attacked her again, forcing her back toward the tree line. The demon landed a blow to her stomach, but the miko managed to erect a barrier moments before. The force of his blow threw her backward into the trees and she went flying for a few heart stopping moments before crashing into a tree. Kagome was relieved to see her barrier had held; otherwise she would be dead instead of severely bruised. The barrier had acted like a cushion to all the blows, so instead of the full brunt, she'd received what felt like a normal punch and then a short fall onto her back. It still however knocked the wind right out of her and she wheezed, struggling to draw breath.

Kagome coughed and went to pull herself to her feet when she felt strong fingers wrap around her throat and rip her off the ground. Clutching wildly at the arm holding her up her eyes met Sesshomaru's red demonic ones. She watched amazed as the eyes changed from red to gold every few seconds as he tried to gain control of his beast. Quickly, the lack of air became a pressing issue for her and she fried the arm holding her. Dropping her with a hiss, he glanced at his burned arm. The burn was worse than the other's he had sustained so far and the distraction gave Kagome to opportunity to gain some distance, holding her bruised throat with one hand. Apparently he had done a little more than just bruise her, because a moment later she felt something warm pool in her mouth and drip down her chin. She didn't have to touch it to know it was blood.

Her breaths were ragged and watery as she faced the angry demon again. The sight and smell of blood drove him over the edge, especially the smell of _her_ blood. Kagome knew she was drained and wouldn't last another attack. Gathering all her remaining energy, she launched a final attack as Sesshomaru lunged again. He didn't get close enough to lay a hand on her. Suddenly Kagome's entire body erupted in bright pink light and Sesshomaru was thrown backwards with such force that he took down several trees in his path before landing on his back and skidding to a stop.

The force of the blast brought him to his senses and he blinked golden eyes a few times before rising to his feet wincing slightly. That last blast had almost completely disintegrated his shirt and one pant leg, leaving burns all over his chest, up his neck and on his exposed leg and arms. _Baka, miko! Didn't she realize what would happen if she challenged my beast so openly! _Alpha inu dominance was not something to be taken lightly. He was angry at himself for losing the battle to his beast, but he was just as angry with the miko, she knew better, but she did it anyway. Still, he cringed mentally as he remembered when he had thrown her around like she was a rag doll.

Steadying himself, he followed the path of destruction he had left in his brief flight from the meadow and couldn't help but be impressed slightly with how she had performed. Neither of them had won, which was a burn to his pride, but her speed and thought process during a fight had improved greatly and he felt a surge of unexplainable pride that the miko had been able to stand up against one such as himself. If he had been under control however, the outcome would have been different.

All pleased thoughts fled from his mind as he re-entered the field and surveyed the damage. There was a crater where Kagome had been standing when she had blasted him that last time, but she was not in it. The miko lay some twenty feet in the opposite direction from which he'd been blasted, partly on her side and partly on her stomach, not moving at all and covered in debris as if she'd hit the ground and rolled quite a bit before coming to a stop.

Reaching her side with demon speed, he rolled her onto her back gently and was relieved to see she was alive and breathing, though shallowly and with a residual wet sound with each breath. The blood smeared across her chin and her lower lip made him angry at himself all over again for letting himself hurt her so badly. The girl's clothes were torn and she looked badly bruised in many places, a fresh trail of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and down one cheek, making him worry that he had damaged her frail human body internally. Running his fingers lightly down her ribs and sides, he determined that nothing was broken before pressing gentle fingers along her abdomen and stomach. No winces or cries of pain, so either she was so far unconscious that she didn't feel it or nothing was wrong.

Noticing the quickly darkening bruises around her slim neck, he gently lifted her head and opened her mouth. Glancing down her throat, he suppressed a sigh of relief to discover that the blood was coming from a simple ruptured blood vessel in her throat, something that would close over quickly and heal fairly easily. Still he allowed himself to cringe slightly when he remembered how that had happened.

He scooped her up gently in his arms, being careful to hold her on her side with her head tilted toward the ground to let the blood drain out of her throat to drip on the ground instead of down her throat and into her stomach. He could attest to the fact that swallowing too much blood made most ningens violently ill.

Cradling the young woman gently in his arms, his mind raced over what he was going to tell her mother when she arrived home from shopping. He was sure she wouldn't be happy at all that he'd nearly killed her daughter and figured she would have every right to be angry with him. An unfamiliar feeling of remorse washed over him. He had grown to respect Kagome's mother and was now afraid she would look at him as no better than an out of control monster. Oddly enough, the thought of this upset him greatly as he leapt into Kagome's room through the window and set her as gently as possible on her bed, being mindful of the dark bruises he was pretty sure almost completely covered her back and spine. He hadn't been gentle when he had thrown her into that tree.

Quickly he got a warm, damp washcloth and cleaned the blood off her face as best he could. Opening her mouth, he was pleased to see the bleeding had nearly stopped and that he didn't have to worry about her swallowing any more blood. Running gentle hands all over her limbs and torso, he double checked her for any broken bones or dangerous bruising. Not finding anything serious, he settled down on the bed next to her to watch her as she rested.

The woman's long dark eyelashes curled appealingly against her lightly tanned cheeks and he was relieved to see no bruising had made it to her face, though the dark hand-shaped bruises on her neck greatly disturbed him.

Sesshomaru watched her for some time before he finally heard the front door open and Mrs. Higurashi arrive home. Rising to his feet, he turned to head downstairs when he was assaulted by an overwhelming feeling of apprehension and guilt. The feeling arrested his steps just at the top of the stairs and forced him to examine this new emotion. He had never been apprehensive about anything before, the demon was always so sure of himself. But now, the thought of telling the mother of the woman he'd injured that he had betrayed her trust and done damage to her daughter made him want to fidget like a child who's done something wrong.

The feelings disturbed him as he didn't quite know what to do with them or how to react to them. The miko herself he wasn't apprehensive about at all, in fact he looked forward to telling her off for her stupidity when she woke up. Yes, he had a strange feeling of guilt for hurting her, but it was partially her own fault. But the thought of facing her mother had the great taiyoukai of the west stopped in his tracks. Berating himself for being stupid, he continued down the stairs to inform Kagome's mother what had happened.


	15. Chapter 15

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Gomen, my faithful readers! I meant to upload this much earlier today but things got just a little bit crazy! I have to run again, but I wanted to get it updated today at least! Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Sesshomaru descended the stairs and padded to the kitchen silently, showing absolutely no outward signs of his inward turmoil. Mrs. Higurashi had earned a place of honor in his mind and he did not want to anger or disappoint the woman. She had shown him great respect and consideration due his title and had taken him in without a second thought and he greatly did not wish to dishonor her trust. Entering the kitchen, he stood and studied the woman before him.

Mrs. Higurashi was putting away the groceries from her errands, humming to herself quietly. Looking up, she noticed the taiyoukai standing in the doorway regarding her silently and she gave him a bright smile and a bow at the waist.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru-sama! Would you like some coffee this morning?" the astute woman had noticed something was not right with the demon, but let him do things his own way. He was a demon lord after all.

"Higurashi-san, I believe I have dishonored you greatly and I wish to extend my apologies for my transgression," he said bowing his head briefly before returning his gaze to the now confused woman, "I have injured your only daughter." Mrs. Higurashi refused to let her trepidation show in her voice or features. If a demon of this amount of power thought he had dishonored her and hurt her daughter, she feared greatly the condition her daughter might be in.

"Where is she?" she asked, pleased that none of the tremor showed through in her voice.

"She is resting upstairs in her room," the demon answered never wavering, but inwardly nervous.

"May I see her?" Mrs. Higurashi asked politely, fearing the worst.

"Of course," Sesshomaru stood to the side and the worried mother couldn't seem to keep herself from rushing past the demon and up the stairs to her daughter's room. She had feared for her daughter's safety greatly while she ran around in the feudal era and it would kill her to lose her daughter now, after everything they had been through.

Hurrying into the girl's room, she stopped dead at the sight before her. The demon came up behind her and stood silently, his eyes barely betraying the thoughts running through his mind.

There sat Kagome on her bed with her back propped up against the bed board. The bruises along her neck and collarbones were gone, only Sesshomaru's sharp eyes picked up the slight trace left on the smooth skin, all of the other bruises and cuts from her flight through the woods to smash into the tree were almost completely gone and the girl looked none the worse for wear except for extremely dirty clothing and some leaves still stuck in her hair.

"Hi, mama!" she greeted the woman who was trying hard not to laugh by covering her mouth with one hand, "will breakfast be ready soon?" the girl asked, ignoring the demon giving her death glares from behind her mother. Mrs. Higurashi managed to shove her giggles back down and answer her daughter as if nothing was wrong.

"Of course dear, let me know when you're cleaned up and I'll have your breakfast ready for you," Kagome smiled brightly at her mother as the woman turned and bowed to the demon who stood behind her. "Thank you for your concern for my feelings, Sesshomaru-sama. I appreciate your telling me as soon as you were worried." With a twinkle in her eye that made the demon choke down the growl rising in his throat the woman stepped past him and out of the room, leaving a very annoyed demon to weasel explanations out of a sighing miko.

Kagome dropped her 'uninjured' act and slumped down on the bed, groaning slightly. Sesshomaru moved to stand over the girl and looked down at her coldly making Kagome want to roll her eyes.

"Explain," the temptation was too great, rolling her eyes dramatically, she crossed her arms over her chest resisting the urge to wince at the pain in her ribs.

"If you think I have bad temper tantrums, then never get my mother pissed at you," she eyed the demon in amusement and was rewarded with a rumbling in the demon's chest, "I didn't want her to get angry at you, so when I regained consciousness I used my healing powers to close up and minimize the worst of the visible damage." Unbelievably, the demon almost winced when she used the word 'damage' but outwardly, his face never changed. Looking down at herself the little miko sighed.

"I guess I'm going to have to just move slowly and act like I'm aching instead of actually injured until I regain enough strength to help some of these heal," she rubbed a distracted hand across aching ribs and winced slightly.

"You brought it on yourself, I have no sympathy for you," the demon glared down at her.

"Oh! You are NOT allowed to blame all of this on me! You are partly to blame as well, you monster!" she poked an indignant finger into the demon's chest and he had the sudden urge to break the finger off.

"You challenged me openly and even growled at me. That's enough to get even a demoness killed, let alone a weak ningen," he growled down at her.

"Don't you start with the 'weak ningen' crap! I _know_ I threw you around a few times during that fight so don't you DARE tell me I'm weak! I might not be as highly trained as you, but just wait! When I am I'm gonna kick your ass all the way across Japan!" Sesshomaru's growl was more feral and aggressive this time, but both parties stood their ground. Kagome wasn't giving in and Sesshomaru didn't want to injure her any more than he already had.

"This will have to continue later since you cannot make good on your threats at this time," Kagome rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Yea, whatever. Admit it, you never expected me to be able to throw you around like that. Just curious, how many trees did you go through on that last one?" she asked, her smirk widening.

"You almost blew yourself up with 'that last one' and for your information, my _controlled_ fall ended up taking down five trees," he threw back at her, but she wasn't buying it for a minute.

"FIVE TREES! Woo-hoo! Just wait 'til I'm in a little more control! Then you'll really be in trouble, Mr. I'm-too-good-for-anyone-but-myself." Sesshomaru growled slightly at the nickname and Kagome giggled. The demon was finding to his dismay that he was growling at the exasperating woman more and more often.

The argument was beginning to remind him of a few courting couples he had seen before and he didn't like that one bit. Throwing one more growl over his shoulder, he retreated to his own room to let the miko clean up and get breakfast.

The morning meal was very quiet, with Sesshomaru ignoring everyone and sipping his coffee silently, Kagome glaring at Souta who was trying his best to imitate Sesshomaru's expression and Mrs. Higurashi looking between everyone with barely concealed amusement. Finally, she decided to break the silence.

"Well, Kagome, I trust you slept well?" she asked setting down her chopsticks and looking expectantly at her daughter. Everyone was surprised when it was Sesshomaru and not Kagome that spoke.

"Oh, I am sure she did, especially with the _interesting_ dreams she had that she was telling me about earlier," he continued to look off into nothingness and acted as if he hadn't even spoken while Kagome glared daggers into the back of his silver head.

"Oh really, Kagome? You had good dreams then?" her mother asked causing a deep red flush to appear on Kagome's face and for the girl to shift nervously in her seat.

"Apparently it was enough to make Sesshomaru-sama mad enough for Kagome to lock herself in the bathroom!" Souta piped up, a snicker escaping the little rat. Kagome settled her look of death on the little brother in question making him sink below the table so only the top of his head and eyes were visible.

"Yes, and I believe a certain _someone_ encouraged the beastly demon and taught him a really nasty and underhanded trick to make me unlock the door," Souta eeped and disappeared under the table to scurry out of the room. Mrs. Higurashi laughed.

"Well, it looks like everyone has had an interesting morning! Perhaps I should wait to do my errands in the afternoons so I can be around to see these delightful goings on!" Kagome groaned to herself and Sesshomaru took silent delight in her discomfort. Deciding more torment was in order for his little miko; he shifted nonchalantly in his chair and decided to speak.

"Even though it is a day off from your 'school,' you will still be practicing and training with me today," he ignored the look of death the girl was giving him and continued, "in fact, the extra time will help greatly as it will give us more of an opportunity to work on your form," he leveled her with an evil look that spoke volumes to the miko. The demon was absolutely demented.

"Oh! What a wonderful idea, Kagome! It will keep the two of you busy while I clean up the house a little!" Kagome suppressed a groan as a look of triumph came over the demon's face. He knew exactly how much pain the woman was still in and was determined to take as much advantage as possible, completely unknown to the mother who had just condemned her daughter to an afternoon of torture.

Her mother left the room and if looks could kill, Sesshomaru would be dead. He would never admit it to the woman in question, but he was somewhat impressed that she could summon such an expression.

"I hate you, youkai."

"The feeling is mutual, miko."

Twenty minutes later found both of them back in the field, only with swords strapped to their hips. Glancing around the destroyed meadow, Kagome whistled in amazement at how much destruction they had caused. Frankly, she was astonished that one or both of them weren't dead.

Briefly, Sesshomaru went over unarmed stances with her, showing her what she had done during their fight that was wrong and how to improve her reflexes and blocks.

"There is no way for you to attack a youkai of my status successfully, so the next best thing is to defend yourself properly," he demonstrated a few more stances, ducks and blocks with Kagome imitating him and following his lead.

Looking up at the little miko who was just completing a duck and block combination, he noticed the back of her neck which was exposed when she had bent over and her hair fell over her left shoulder. Though she had healed the front of her neck, long dark finger shaped bruises still lined the back underneath her hair.

Kagome was concentrating on going through her movements correctly when she realized Sesshomaru had moved so he was standing right next to her. Suddenly his hand appeared right next to her neck; involuntarily she flinched hard and threw her hands up to block him. Remembered pain shot through her mind and her whole throat constricted, causing her to panic slightly and have trouble breathing.

The demon had simply come closer and was trying to brush her hair out of the way completely to get a better look when he was shocked by the girl flinching as if he had made to hit her, throwing her hands between them, burning him slightly. Her heartbeat went through the roof and he saw the muscles in her neck constrict almost painfully, making the miko wheeze a little, even though nothing was touching her.

He simply stared at her, his eyes slightly wide and his hand still hanging in the air as the girl stared at him with eyes as big as saucers, one hand gently resting against her throat. Kagome was afraid he would be mad at her but she had just reacted without thinking. The memory of how much it had hurt when he'd grabbed her neck was still fresh in her mind and she couldn't seem to help it. It wasn't that she was scared of him specifically; more that she now had a taste of what he was capable of. Her second hand strayed up to her throat unconsciously as if protecting it from his strong fingers and the movement wasn't lost on the demon.

_She is afraid of me. She is afraid I will hurt her again. I must have caused her a great amount of pain to incite such a powerful reaction_. Part of him wanted to howl in victory at this seemingly positive improvement. The girl now had a healthy fear of him. However, another part of him was angry with himself. She was so fearless before, so bold and courageous and he'd stolen a part of that from her. He'd brutalized her and made her fear his touch. In considering the consequences of his actions, whether intended or not and despite his more base reaction, he found he was not at all pleased by her flinching so violently. He was especially not pleased that he had caused her _that_ much pain. His eyes were glued to her as she seemed to struggle to speak.

"I… I'm … I'm sorry… gomen, Sesshomaru… I didn't … I didn't mean…" her bangs dropped to cover her eyes, but he could see the trembling of her lower lip before she began to chew on it, showing how upset she was. Against his better judgment he reached up toward her neck again. The movement caught Kagome by surprise again and she flinched back, though not quite so violently and let out a small gasp.

Sesshomaru had seen enough.

Turning silently he disappeared into the forest leaving Kagome standing there, tears rolling down her cheeks. Falling to her knees, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. They had fought so violently and without thought that during their fight she really didn't even register what was going on… all she was aware of was the feeling of the adrenaline in her veins and the singing of her blood when she landed a blow. The pain and the fear came after and it was overwhelming. This was twice now that he'd hurt her. She couldn't help her body's reaction or the memory of the pain so fresh in her mind. The miko had healed the worst of the outward damage, but inwardly she was still hurting.

Closing her eyes and lifting her tear stained face to the sun, she wondered if he would ever be able to touch her again without her flinching.

Sesshomaru waited until he was a short distance away before taking off in a dead sprint. Visions of the disturbingly dark bruises on her neck and the look on her face when he'd tried to touch her kept surfacing before his eyes and he couldn't seem to push them away. He'd never felt remorse for hurting anyone before, but this woman was different. She was so pure and innocent. Yes, she was an absolute pain in the ass and irked him purposefully, but that didn't mean he had the right to mar her perfect body. He'd left more than physical bruises, he'd left psychological damage as well. The miko, whether either of them would admit it or not, had begun to trust him and they had built a sort of two sided relationship. One loss of control was all it had taken to completely destroy that and he was livid with himself for it.

Destroying any unfortunate tree that happened to be in his path, he continued to run at speeds that would boggle the human mind, letting out his frustrations and attempting to sort out his confused thoughts. These were completely new to him and he didn't like them one bit. Feeling remorse for hurting a ningen female? Was he crazy?

CRASH went another tree.

But she's not just any ningen female. She's a very powerful miko who managed to destroy Naraku and throw the taiyoukai of the west through several trees. Ok, _five_ trees to be exact.

CRASH

What was she thinking challenging him anyways? It's her own fault she got hurt. Serves her right. She's lucky she's not dead. _So why do I still feel so bad about it?_ Slowing to a stop he looked up at the clear sky, his silver hair billowing around him in the light breeze. _Good question, why do I feel bad? It's not like the ningen means anything to me. _

But she does and you know it.

_Ok, you are not my beast and there is only supposed to be two of us in here, so who the hell are you?_

Yea, I'm that thing you've been ignoring since you were around five. Remember? I'm your conscience.

_You are still alive? I thought I killed you long ago. _

Yea, well, I'm fairly resilient.

_Such a thing can still be remedied. _

Oh, no you don't! I'm not going anywhere, you might as well try killing your beast off first.

I HEARD THAT!

_Shut up, you. You're not supposed to talk. _

Hehe, Conscience 1, Beast 0.

_Knock that off. Ok, so what do you mean when you say she means something to me? I do not care about ningens. _

I didn't say you cared about ningens, I said you care about her.

_This is stupid, I am talking to myself. This Sesshomaru is above this kind of behavior. You will be quiet unless I summon you. So you can consider yourself fired. _

Oh, don't worry, I'll still be around. You couldn't get rid of me before and you can't get rid of me now. Kagome just woke me up.

Sesshomaru let himself sigh out loud and rubbed the bridge of his nose with elegant fingers. He was really losing it. Talking to himself? His father would roll in his grave. Was his conscience right, though? Had this human miko managed to awaken these uncomfortable feelings in him? Staring up at the sky, he glared at it and demanded it give him some answers.

Kagome hiccupped a few times, attempting to get herself under control. Wiping her face, she breathed deeply a few times before sighing. It was useless. She knew now the demon she had fallen for had no feelings at all for her. If he had, he wouldn't have treated her like that. He'd hurt her a lot, and then when she became upset by it, instead of comforting her, he walked away like he didn't care.

Forcing herself not to cry, she sighed again. A pulse ran through her body from her side. She sat up a little straighter and looked around before another one ran through her and she looked down at Fubuki, realizing the pulsing was from him. Pulling the sheath from its tie at her waist, she laid the sword across her lap and placed a hand on the hilt and one on the sheath.

_Lady Kagome?_

_Yes, Fubuki?_

_You are greatly upset._

_Yes I am, Fubuki. _

_He hurt you greatly, did he not? _Kagome choked back her tears and nodded.

_Yes, he did. _

_I apologize, my lady. I was not there to help protect you in your time of need. I will be more diligent next time. Please do not cry, my lady. _Tears spilled from the miko's eyes and she turned her face up to the sun as if to hide them from the sword.

Silence for a few moments.

_Lady miko?_

_Yes, Fubuki?_

_May I borrow some of your powers for a short time?_ Curiosity peaked within the young woman and she nodded once.

Within a few moments she felt a great deal of power leaking out through her hands and into the sword. As she gazed at the sword it vanished from within the sheath, leaving it empty. Kagome tipped the sheath up, slightly confused when suddenly two cool, elegant hands were placed on her cheeks and turned her face up. Looking up, she found herself lost in the most beautiful pair of ice blue eyes she had ever seen. They were long and angled and held a kindness and gentleness in them that made her heart melt. Those perfect eyes rested in a face that could rival Sesshomaru's… almost.

He was pale like Sesshomaru but unlike his perfectly proportioned features and high cheekbones, this face was longer with a more narrow nose and wider mouth. Light blue eyebrows rode higher over the eyes than Sesshomaru's lower ones giving this face a kinder look. The ears were more pointed than a typical youkai's and the man's long, light blue hair was tied back in a high ponytail. He was dressed in a flowing pure silk men's kimono of the most beautiful silvers, ice blues, and dark blues. His hands were gentle as he held her face for his inspection. Still holding her face with one hand, his other slid down her jaw to her neck, making her suppress a shiver. Pulling her hair to one side, he finally broke eye contact with her and tipped her head with the hand still on her face. A look of anger crossed his fine features as he saw with his own eyes the damage the youkai had done to her.

Kagome moved out of his grasp, recapturing his eyes with her own and gazing at him intently.

"Fubuki?" she asked tentatively. A smile lit the beautiful face making him practically glow.

"Yes, my lady. It is a pleasure to finally meet you," Kagome had to concentrate all her will on not making her jaw drop as her eyes took in the enchanting creature before her. He was not as heavily muscled or as powerful looking as Sesshomaru, but he looked to have a grace and elegance that would rival that of the taiyoukai's. His body was light and fey like and she couldn't help but be appreciative of his form.

The assessment was not lost on Fubuki and he smiled mischievously at the woman. Reaching forward he caught her face in his hands once again and held her gaze.

"I do not understand how that youkai could possibly be so beastly as to harm a creature such as you," Kagome blushed a deep scarlet, but refused to look away from the being before her.

Sesshomaru chose that unfortunate moment to return to the field.

A low growl drifted to them on the soft breeze making both heads snap in the direction of the sound. Sesshomaru stood there at the other end of the field, Tōkijin drawn staring at the strange man holding his miko so intimately with the coldest look he could muster, which for Sesshomaru is like looking into the face of death itself. Fubuki sighed dramatically and stood in front of the miko, blocking the demon's view of the woman.

"Do you not think you have done enough damage this day, Sesshomaru? Leave my lady in peace and be on your way," Sesshomaru growled louder.

"Who are you to speak to this Sesshomaru with such familiarity?" he stalked toward the pair with ice in his eyes. Kagome leapt to her feet and jumped between the two.

"Sesshomaru, this is Fubuki!" she held her hands out to the demon as if warding him off. This only succeeded in further upsetting the already angered demon. The miko was protecting this person? A deep rumbling reached the two making Kagome swallow hard. Suddenly dizziness overtook the woman and she staggered, the world swimming before her. Fubuki caught her tenderly and lowered her to the ground, concern written all over his features.

"My lady! My apologies, I have tarried too long and used too much of your precious powers! Please forgive me," he lifted the blushing miko's hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, ignoring the warning growl from the demon.

"I will be by your side always. You have only to ask and I will protect you from anything," the elemental said looking up at the demon pointedly to which Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in anger. The exchange was noticed by Kagome, but before she could say anything, Fubuki smiled disconcertingly at her and dissipated into mist, reforming as the katana in the sheath still clutched in one of her hands.

Kagome stared at the katana now resting silently in its sheath in bewilderment. It took a few moments for everything that had just happened to catch up to her, but when it did a deep flush made itself at home on her face and refused to go away.

This did not make the demon happy at all as he approached the distracted miko. Not wanting to startle her, he stopped a few paces away, waiting for her to notice him there. After a few moments, Kagome's glazed eyes rested on the demon before her and she blinked a few times.

A wave of sadness overtook her as she gazed up at him. She wanted nothing more than to become closer to the stoic demon, but she wasn't sure if that was going to happen now. Her head lowered and her bangs shielded her eyes and she fought back tears that threatened to fall again.

The sting of tears reached the taiyoukai's nose and he resisted the urge to fidget. Having had enough dramatics today, he decided practice would have to be forgone for the moment and they should return home.

"Kagome," her head snapped up, watery eyes looking up at the demon in astonishment that he had actually used her name, "we are done for the day. If you will attempt not to flinch again, I will carry you home." Kagome nodded dumbly and Sesshomaru approached her slowly, so as not to startle the distraught female. Scooping her up gently, he picked up a fast but smooth pace and headed home.

When they arrived, he set her down gently outside the house and they looked at each other for quite some time. Kagome broke their gaze first and turned to head in the house, but something occurred to Sesshomaru and he stopped her with a question.

"How did Fubuki appear?" Kagome stopped and thought a moment before turning to the youkai still standing a short distance away.

"He asked to borrow some of my power. I felt an outpouring of energy through my hands and into the katana and moments later he was right in front of me," a low growl stopped her narration and she looked up into irritated golden eyes in surprise.

"He knew how drained your powers were and yet he still asked you for enough power for a summoning?" he asked, annoyance and anger showing clearly in his eyes and his voice. The display of emotion shocked Kagome into silence, but what surprised her even more was the surge of irritation and anger she caught coming in waves off Fubuki who was strapped securely to her hip. Laying a hand on the hilt to quiet him, she looked at the youkai inquiringly.

"A summoning?" Sesshomaru nodded.

"When a sword is sentient, there is usually a way for the wielder to summon the being within into a physical form. Usually they assume their mortal shape, though some are capable of assuming an animal form as well," Kagome's thoughts flitted briefly to the cat form Fubuki had shown her. "It usually takes quite a bit of power from the wielder to make it possible and the summoned creature continues to drain the wielder the longer they assume a physical form. If a summoned sword spirit stays outside the blade form too long they can completely drain their master, making that person defenseless and weak." Kagome's eyes widened.

"Fubuki asked something of you without explaining his motives or the consequences of his actions. You became dizzy and collapsed to the ground because of those actions. It is dangerous to summon a sword spirit when the wielder is as drained as you are now," Kagome looked at the sword disappointedly before her eyes flashed briefly in anger and her gaze snapped back to the taiyoukai.

"As if you can talk," she hissed through her teeth at him, "you speak of him endangering me when all he was trying to do was comfort me when no one else would. You talk of him hurting me, but it was _you_ who hurt me in the first place. He wouldn't have felt the need to assume a physical form to comfort me if you had treated me differently." Turning on her heel, she disappeared into the house leaving the taiyoukai to his own thoughts.

Kagome barely contained her tears as she headed upstairs to finally strip out of her pajamas and take a well deserved shower. Though so much had already happened that day it wasn't even lunch time yet. Kagome groaned as she headed into the bathroom. It just wasn't her day.

Sesshomaru stood outside considering the turn of events and his own tumultuous feelings over everything that had happened. He was pretty sure that gut wrenching feeing he'd had when he returned to the meadow to find Kagome's face in another man's hands and the two of them leaning intimately toward one another was jealousy. Part of him was raging at his own mind that Sesshomaru didn't _get _jealous. But there was no denying it, he had wanted to rip the male to pieces for touching his miko. There was that term again, 'his miko.' His beast reveled in the words like a satisfied puppy, but Sesshomaru's mind fought it.

Another feeling in his stomach brought him out of his musings. This was one he recognized, though it didn't make him any happier. He would have to eat soon and to be perfectly frank he hadn't seen anything in this era that would satiate his appetite appropriately. The taiyoukai realized he would have to lower himself to asking the miko yet again for her assistance. Turning to head inside, the great lord of the west resisted the urge to sigh.


	16. Chapter 16

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

o.O Gomen for the lack of update! I've been trying for four days now, but document manager has been down...so you get TWO chapters today! Lil bit of fun in this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 16

Kagome lay on her bed staring at the ceiling; Buyo lay across her stomach alternating between purring and meowing irritatedly as Kagome stroked his back distractedly. The girl's thoughts were a mess. On one hand, she knew she was half to blame for the taiyoukai's behavior. She did challenge him openly and she knew the consequences of something like that. The miko had seen it numerous times in a hanyou who wasn't nearly as powerful as a full fledged dog demon, and yet, she couldn't seem to help herself.

On the other hand, he had hurt her badly. One hand rose to her throat involuntarily, a twinge running through the tendons in memory. Sitting up in frustration, Buyo went toppling to the floor with an annoyed meow. On top of it all, when the bastard had realized she was in pain and was having trouble, instead of trying to fix it he walked away and left her alone.

Tears threatened to fall. _Damn him! Damn that arrogant bastard _Suddenly a thought occurred to her. Why did he walk away? At first she thought it was simply because he didn't want to be in the presence of such weakness, but then she recalled seeing a flicker of something in his eyes before he turned on his heel without a word and left. Then there was the weirdly possessive way he was acting when he found her and Fubuki alone. Could he have been jealous?

Kagome forced herself to remember that any new feelings would be very confusing to the taiyoukai who is used to feeling very little. He may have walked off because he didn't know what to think or what to do. In retrospect he had been reaching for the back of her neck. Did he see something there that concerned him? Then he had reached for her again and she'd flinched again. Had she confused the demon that much? Then there was Fubuki. That brought a flush to her cheeks.

But then there was Sesshomaru's reaction to him. Anger rose up in her anew. How dare he be angry at Fubuki when _he_ was the one kicking her around that morning as if his whole goal was to make her suffer as much as possible. Ok, that was an exaggeration, but still!

Realizing she was still in her bathrobe, she walked over to her bureau to get some clothes to change into. Nothing had been solved in her head and thoughts were still chasing one another around like idiotic ADD children on speed. Turning around she unexpectedly slammed into something hard.

Catching her balance, she glared at the obstacle in front of her, quickly realizing it was a very hard, masculine chest. A vein popped out on her forehead and she didn't need to look up to know who that chest belonged to.

"Damnit, Sesshomaru! You're supposed to knock before you enter a girl's room! What if I'd been naked?" Sesshomaru looked down at her with a blank expression. One eyebrow rose slowly and elegantly telling her more eloquently than words that he didn't care one way or the other. More veins. "What do you want?" she asked curtly, stepping around him.

"Miko Kagome, there is nothing suitable in this era that I have seen so far for this Sesshomaru to eat," Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. That's right, he hasn't eaten yet since he's been here! That's a whole week! Turning around, she looked up at him.

"How often do you need to eat?" she asked, all of her previous anger gone, replaced by curiosity. Sesshomaru's first reaction was to tell the ningen to mind her own business and that his eating schedule was not her concern, but he bit that back and responded differently.

"I require sustenance every two weeks," he looked down at her coolly as she sat down on the bed and looked up at him.

"Ok, I know you don't eat human food, so what _do _you eat?" she asked curiously. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to look at her as if she was dumb. He knew he'd angered her enough already that day.

"My true form is a large dog demon. I require large amounts of fresh meat," Kagome's eyes went wide. She'd forgotten about the fact that he wasn't actually the creature before her and was something entirely different. Sesshomaru was not human; he was a dog demon who stood taller than her own house. She'd personally seen the form only once, though she had been on the receiving end of those teeth and claws that were as big as _her _and she didn't care to do that again. A fresh wave of shame spread through her at this thought. She had purposefully angered such a powerful being. _Damn._

"Ok, um…" Kagome guessed that buying meat at the store was out of the question. He would need larger quantities than they would be able to buy and she was sure the store bought meat wouldn't be appropriate for him anyways. Thinking quickly, she remembered that deeper in the forest they practiced in there were bear and deer that might work for him. Though it was supposed to be a reserve, she was sure they wouldn't mind the loss of one or two bear. After all, he wasn't a hunter. He was a dog. So she made the excuse that it was nature in a way.

"Ok, I think I know where we can go," Sesshomaru tipped his head slightly and listened. "Deeper in that forest we practice in should be some bear and deer, will those work for you?" he considered for a moment, "because I'm sure store bought meat won't work for you. The meat is processed and sometimes doesn't have all the nutrients of a fresh kill." Kagome surprised herself when she made that last comment. She would never know it, but she'd surprised the demon as well.

Sesshomaru nodded and turned to leave. Kagome had been hoping to go with him, but it appeared he wanted to go alone and her head dropped slightly in disappointment. Sesshomaru noticed it out of the corner of his eye and paused. He hadn't particularly wanted to take her with him for several reasons. One, he would need to be _in_ dog form to eat, it was his true form and it made eating easier and faster. Also because he was a dog when he ate it was very bloody and carnal looking. Sesshomaru had never let anyone watch him eat. The last person who'd been present whilst he'd been eating was his father and usually they ate together anyway.

A thought occurred to him. If this miko was willing to accept him the way he was, she would need to accept all of him. This included his true form. From her expressions before he'd interrupted her, she was warring with herself over accepting the violent side that had hurt her earlier. Perhaps this would help show her that he wasn't all calm underneath. His beast was very real and was a force to be reckoned with. Studying the girl for a moment, he made up his mind.

"If you will meet me downstairs in a few minutes, I will take you with me," Kagome's head snapped up in surprise and her blue eyes were wide as she stared at him. After a moment she nodded once and he exited the room, closing the door behind himself.

Excitedly Kagome jumped up and got dressed. Though she was nervous about seeing his true form again, Kagome was so happy that he was letting her come. She saw this as Sesshomaru beginning to trust her a little bit more. True, she was still a little angry with him, but the mention of his demon form had put things a little bit into perspective for her. She was dealing with a massive three story tall dog that had teeth as thick around as her thigh.

Shivering a little in anticipation she finished dressing and hurried out of the room, completely forgetting all about the sword laying quietly by her bedside, irritation coming off it in waves.

Sesshomaru was standing outside waiting for her, his head was turned up and he was studying the sky. Kagome couldn't help but stop and stare at him for a few moments. The sun played across his unusually pale face, accentuating and highlighting his facial markings, his silvery hair blew behind him in undulating waves, guilded in sunlight. Sighing quietly to herself before stepping outside she realized part of what made him so intimidating was the very fact that he _was_ beautiful in a god-like manner.

Sesshomaru looked over at the young woman as she stepped outside and smiled at him brightly. He of course had been aware of her presence the whole time, though he'd refrained from making comment, wondering what she was thinking when she looked at him. Shoving that train of thought away, he turned to her.

Kagome nodded at the unspoken question and he scooped her up and took off. Minutes later he settled her down in their field and stepped away from her a few paces.

"Stand over to the side," he commanded and Kagome ran back a few paces to stand near the edge of the forest. Briefly she felt a rising of power that made her miko energy stand on end. A whirlwind of youki erupted around the lone figure in the middle of the field, blowing his clothing around wildly and making his hair shoot straight upward with its force. His head tipped backward and his red eyes closed and she watched him, completely enraptured. His face was actually exhibiting an expression.

He looked genuinely happy, a hint of a smile on his lips as his power continued to build around him, eventually blocking him from view as the whirlwind built in power and size. Sesshomaru had looked almost relieved before he faded from view. Never before had she witnessed such an expression on his features and she wished keenly he would more so. He was achingly beautiful when he smiled. Briefly she wondered if it was a burden to maintain his human form when suddenly a massive white dog took form right in front of her.

Blue eyes traveled wonderingly up the massive white limb in front of her, up the furry and heavily muscled chest and neck to rest on the long snouted dog face that was regarding her with tapered red eyes. Kagome stepped forward hesitantly, trying to keep in mind that this was still Sesshomaru, that the mind of the human form was still within him, but this was simply a different appearance.

Her heartbeat quickened in memory of their battle in his father's grave over Tetusaiga and she shivered involuntarily. As if detecting her stress, he lowered himself to the ground, still watching her and 'whuff'ed at her. Staring at him blankly, it took another 'whuff' from him to make her realize that he couldn't speak in this form and he was encouraging her to come closer.

Kagome approached the massive dog carefully and slowly, completely aware of the eerie red eyes following her movement. Coming up on his shoulder, she went to extend a hand, but pulled it back suddenly, her eyes meeting his questioningly.

"May I?" she asked tentatively. A nod and another 'whuff' and she reached forward with both hands. His fur surprised her with how soft and silky it was. Her hands ran across his shoulder freely, burying them to the middle of her forearm in the thick, soft fur. Distractedly she stepped forward and leaned up against him, resting her head on him and rubbing her face in his fur.

Sesshomaru, unbeknownst to her, was having trouble containing himself. He hadn't anticipated that he would react so strongly to her little hands running through his fur. Berating himself, he realized it was because his beast was so close to the surface in this form. His eyes became slightly hooded when she lowered herself to his shoulder and pressed herself up against him, obviously thoroughly enjoying the feeling of his fur.

Shaking himself mentally, his hunger pressed against him harder in this form, returning his thoughts to the present. 'Whuff'ing at her once, he caught her attention and she extricated herself from his fur. He stretched around with his nose to where she stood and motioned his head upward before lowering his nose so she could step on it. It took a moment for Kagome to grasp what he was trying to tell her, and when she did, she blushed and nodded.

Carefully, she climbed onto his nose and held onto the soft fur. He was happy that she didn't just step on his nose like he'd thought, but her position was causing him a serious amount of problems. The girl had decided to wear one of those obscenely short skirts that day and a little short sleeved shirt to match. Of course, sitting on his nose and facing him, he had a nice close up view of her entire front and because his nose was round, she found herself almost straddling him in order to hang on while he raised her up and deposited her on his back. The inside of her little thighs had pressed against him as she'd held on and sent absolutely inappropriate thoughts running through the demon's head before he was able to get her off his nose and on his back.

His nose was also ten times more sensitive in this form and he could clearly smell everything about her, including her innocence. It was kind of hard not to with her straddling his nose like that. Unbidden a wave of heat settled itself in his stomach and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he was hungry.

Snorting once to clear his nose, he glanced at the girl on his back to make sure she was ready. Kagome sat right between his shoulder blades, straddling his back and clinging to his soft fur. Turning forward, he took a few warning steps before taking off at a run.

Kagome 'eep'ed once when he leapt forward before catching her balance and leaning forward with his movement. Looking around herself in amazement she realized then just _how _fast the demon was. The trees were a blur as they raced past, she could hear Sesshomaru breathing deeply through his nose, obviously trying to scent out his prey. Turning sharply, he took off in another direction. If Kagome hadn't been holding on with a death grip, she probably would have fallen right off.

Instead of watching the dizzying display of trees whizzing past, she instead focused on the dog beneath her. Massive muscles bunched and extended under where she sat and the fur was decidedly longer up here, burying her legs completely. She stifled a giggle before letting her eyes travel upward to Sesshomaru's head. Briefly, her eyes traveled to the side to study what could only be described as his 'mane.' It started somewhere between his front legs, traveled just like his tail in human form up over his right shoulder to wrap around his back somewhere behind her and then back under his belly to meet the part between his front legs somewhere underneath him.

Returning her attention to his head, she again had to stifle a giggle at the sight of his fairly long ears swiveling back and forth as he hunted, listening for any sign of his prey. Amazingly, though he was massive in size he moved almost silently, his paws making very little sounds as they touched down and were lifted again. After a few more moments he slowed to a stalking pace and became absolutely silent. The easily distracted miko was intrigued by the way the shoulder blades moved underneath her as he stalked slowly forward.

Suddenly he lunged ahead with a rumble in his chest that she felt vibrate right up through her butt making her giggle at the sensation before falling silent when another growl answered Sesshomaru's followed by a loud almost strangled roar and then silence. Momentarily the smell of blood reached her nose and she leaned to the side to see around the massive dog head blocking her view.

Sesshomaru had stopped walking and turned his head slightly, revealing to Kagome a very dead, very bloody and very large bear in his maw. The dog demon set his kill down and went to lower himself to let Kagome off but she stopped him first.

"Sesshomaru wait," the dog stopped his movement and glanced over his shoulder at her, a silent question in his red eyes. Now Kagome felt stupid, but it was too late. "Um… I was wondering, could you growl again?" a blush spread across her cheeks as he continued to regard her coolly. "It felt funny," she said giving him a goofy smile.

A low rumble started in his chest that built into a full fledged growl and Kagome giggled madly, the vibrations going straight through her butt and into her spine. Sesshomaru couldn't believe he was humoring this woman, but he was.

"Oh!" Kagome's face went white for a moment before a deeper flush than he'd ever seen before parked itself on her features and spread down her neck and disappeared into her shirt. It took a moment for him to realize what had happened, but then a smell reached his sensitive nose and he wanted to laugh out loud. The girl was turned on! Kami! She'd been turned on by the vibrations! _Hmm… need to remember that for future reference. _Mentally he shook himself, why would he need to take note of that! He didn't even care about the girl, of course not. Right?

Before he allowed his thoughts to go places they shouldn't, he lay down and tipped himself to the side allowing the woman to slip off his back and touch down gently on the ground. He gave her a sideward glance before standing again and returning to his food. If she wanted to see him eat that badly, then he wouldn't spare her any of it. He had to admit, it was messy, which is part of the reason he ate in dog form.

Kagome was still too flustered to notice the dog demon at first; she couldn't believe her body had reacted that way. The vibrations had caused her to be aroused! How embarrassing! She hoped ferverently that Sesshomaru hadn't noticed, but the chances he hadn't were slim to nothing.

Turning an embarrassed glance to the demon, she realized he had begun to eat. Her eyes widened and she watched in morbid fascination as the demon bit huge chunks out of the large bear he'd killed. His front teeth ripped the flesh, allowing him to chew on appropriately sized chunks, though she quickly realized he didn't really chew. He would pull off those chunks of flesh, then tip his head up slightly and bite the chunks further back into his mouth before swallowing them and returning down for another bite. Blood oozed freely from between his teeth and down his massive maw to drip onto the ground.

_No wonder he refused all of our meals, _she thought,_ he needed something completely different from what we could offer him. _She continued to watch as the bear disappeared bite by bite. The little miko had to turn away when the bear's stomach broke open and Sesshomaru continued to devour everything. _Oh _she thought detachedly, _he eats all of it. I should have guessed. _After a few moments she peeked back and was relieved to see he was almost finished, the bear was almost completely stripped down to bare bone, and he was busy gnawing on them to get the last of the meat.

Thinking they were almost ready to go, she took a few steps forward, only to be stopped by a sickening crunching sound. It took a few moments before she realized Sesshomaru was chewing on some of the bones.

"Ugh," she said, earning an annoyed glance from the demon, "I know you're a dog and all, but why are you doing that?" a bone hung half chewed from his mouth. Dropping the bone he pulled back his jowls showing her his usually pristine fangs which were now covered in gore. Turning back to the bone he'd dropped he turned his head and chewed on it for a few moments, filling the air with gross crunching sounds before picking his head back up and revealing his fangs to her again, though this time the teeth he'd used on the bone were much cleaner.

"Oh," she said, realizing it was his way of brushing his teeth, "at least you're hygienic," she said giving him a look. He regarded her in annoyance before huffing at her and turning back to his bones. Kagome sat down and decided to tune out the crunching sound and think about what had happened that day. Looking up at the sky she realized it was only early noon and groaned to herself. It had been a very long and confusing day and she was ready for it to be over.

Sesshomaru watched her out of the corner of his eye as he continued cleaning his teeth. Truth be told, he _could_ actually talk in this form, but not well and it was rather scary to listen to. Dog mouths were not meant to form words and often the words didn't come out right. His voice was also deep and gravely in this form, sounding more like a growl than a voice. This was the reason higher demons had a human form because most of the time they couldn't speak in animal form.

He _was_ capable of communicating telepathically in this form with other youkai, however, he wasn't sure it would work with the miko. She wasn't a demon and on top of that she was a miko, so forming a mental connection might not work.

Finishing cleaning his teeth, he stood up straight and shook himself off, his long pink tongue lapping up the last of the blood from his maw and making sure he was absolutely clean. Kagome looked up to watch him when something caught her eye. Looking more closely, she saw that on his chest almost hidden by his mane was a discoloration in the fur and what looked like a burn mark. Letting her eyes travel down his left leg she saw the same discoloration on the inside of his foreleg and again on the opposite shoulder.

Determining to look at it more closely when he changed back, she stood and approached him, smiling brightly and meeting his eyes as he regarded her. He knew she'd seen something that disturbed her, but he wasn't sure what. She stopped before him and smiled.

"Are you satisfied now? Ready to head back?" she asked cheerfully and he nodded his big head before crouching down again and lowering his nose. Kagome carefully climbed up onto his nose again, but this time she scooted forward, surprising the demon and arresting his movement. Eventually he couldn't watch her anymore without crossing his eyes and the sight of her smooth thighs so close greatly disturbed him, so he focused on the trees behind the vision of the tiny miko instead.

A few moments later he felt her lean forward and her small hands rubbed the furry crescent moon on his forehead. Still curious as to what she was doing, he let her continue and didn't bother her or try to stop her. After a few moments he felt his eyes droop slightly at her ministrations and he panted lightly. Kagome giggled a little when she felt him make a rumbling sound in his throat that sounded strangely a lot like purring. For some reason she felt a little freer with him in this form. He was more animalistic and she could forget that he was the disturbingly beautiful creature she had begun to have feelings for. Eventually she sat back and smiled down at the pair of red eyes regarding her.

"Gomen, Sesshomaru. I couldn't resist. We can head back now, if you'd like," the demon was slightly disappointed she'd stopped as her hands had felt wonderful on his head, his moon being a very sensitive spot for him, but he refused to let her know any of that. He deposited her gently on his back and took off.

As Sesshomaru carried her home, thoughts flew through his head. She wasn't afraid at all of his demon form, despite the fact he'd almost killed her with it only a year ago. Perhaps there was hope then that she would learn to trust his human form again.

Arriving back in the field, Sesshomaru didn't set Kagome down like she'd expected. Suddenly she was surrounded by hurricane force winds and she cried out involuntarily. After a moment the dog beneath her was gone and she felt herself falling before she was caught by strong arms. She barely had the chance to take a breath before he took off with demon speed toward home.

Once home, he set her down gently outside the house and they silently went inside. A sudden thought occurred to her and she grabbed the demon by the hand and led him upstairs, the demon in question eyeing her warily and following behind. _Oh, how the mighty have fallen… this Sesshomaru is being dragged around by a mere slip of a ningen. _Inwardly he sighed as she pulled him into his room and turned to face him.

Tenderly she picked up his left arm and flipped it over revealing welts that were still angry from the burns he received that morning. Drawing in her breath sharply she realized his body couldn't heal these as quickly because they were holy burns. It was the one thing which he had no real defense against.

Sesshomaru watched her as she took his hand with gentle fingers and examined the burn mark. Scowling at it, he frowned slightly. Normally a burn so small as that would have been gone in half an hour, but holy burns dealt a demon a lot of damage, purifying the youki and creating lasting burns. It takes time for the youki in that area to regenerate and then heal the broken skin.

The demon's head snapped up when the smell of tears reached his nose. The miko was crying, but she wasn't just crying for no reason, she was crying for _him_.

Kagome let go of his arm and gingerly took hold of the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up tentatively. Sesshomaru was uncomfortable with this, but let her do as she wished. The little miko pulled the shirt up past his ribs to reveal the normally smooth planes of his chest and let her breath out in a hiss at what she saw.

The last blast she'd dealt him and hit him square in the chest, burning the pale flesh making it an angry red and slightly blackened in areas. Painful looking welts and blisters had formed across his chest muscles and tears spilled down her cheeks freely.

He watched her face in fascination. The thought hadn't occurred to him that she would be upset by the damage she'd caused, and she obviously didn't know the damage would be lasting. Placing small fingers on his ribs where the skin finally faded back to its beautiful alabaster color she avoided touching the burned area.

"Does it hurt?" she asked so quietly that even he almost wasn't able to hear her. Sesshomaru simply continued to stare at her. It had never occurred to the young woman that she would actually be able to hurt the demon, he'd always seemed so indestructible. He'd taken the blows so well and she simply didn't realize.

"Gomen na sai, Sesshomaru," she whispered, hiccupping slightly, "gomen gomen gomen," though her powers hadn't fully recovered she took her little hands and held them above the worst of the burn on his chest. Before he could move to stop her, her hands glowed a light pink and he felt a cool sensation spread through his chest. Looking down at his chest he saw the worst of his burns disappear and new skin replace the welts. Kagome didn't have enough power to heal him completely, so she stopped a moment later completely drained, but looking at his chest in satisfaction. The skin didn't look quite so irritated and the angry welts and blisters were gone, though it would take him a little more time to heal.

"Gomen," she whispered again before completely shocking him further by stepping forward and wrapping her arms gently around his ribs, pulling him into a hug. His arms hung limply by his side, uncertain what to do. She solved his dilemma for him by stepping back and away from him, wiping her face and sniffling slightly. Sesshomaru's skin felt cool now that her body was no longer touching his and he found he missed the warm sensation of her up against him.

Once her face was scrubbed dry, she timidly straightened his shirt, keeping her eyes hidden from his view. His curiosity was too much for him. He cupped her chin in his fingers and tilted her face up to look him in the eyes and studied her for a moment. _It's a wonder this woman is still alive, you can see her entire soul right there in her eyes._ He found himself feeling strangely lacking while looking into the face of such an overwhelmingly loving and large soul. The feeling was new to him and quite disturbing.

"I damage you to the point that you bleed and have to hide your injuries from your mother, I bruise you so badly that you are incapable of healing it all at once, and I hurt your person to the extent that you flinch away from me, and yet you weep at a few burns on the very youkai's chest who hurt you. Why?" Kagome wanted to clap. That was undoubtedly the longest sentence he'd said to her yet. Instead she took a steadying breath and gazed into golden pools that beckoned her to lose herself in them. She realized then that his expressions had not changed much, she was just capable of reading them better.

"Well… I… I realized while we were out just now that it was rather stupid of me to challenge you so openly like I did. It's like poking a sleeping dragon… or dog in this case," he gave her an annoyed look but she ignored him, "and honestly, I count myself lucky now that I got off so lightly." She looked off to the side thinking before continuing. "However, though I do realize now that what I did was rather stupid, what _you_ have to realize is that I am not a submissive female and I will never be," her eyes looked up into his sincerely, "I will not be controlled, manipulated or treated as being lesser than what I am. I am not a woman from your era and I don't have to be. I am an educated woman, I think for myself and I have my own opinions. You may not be used to this, but you're going to have to be if you're going to be around me at all and not have us kill one another."

Sesshomaru studied the woman before him while she spoke and afterward for a long time. She was asking for equality which was a completely new concept to him. A man proved his equality in a fight, and though she was not a man, she had certainly earned a good amount of respect from him during their own fight. His first reaction was to scoff at her for her words, but coming from this particular woman, they made some sense. Thinking about it, he knew she would _never_ be submissive, like she said. She was too free of an individual for that. Unfortunately for Sesshomaru, this only succeeded in making his beast clamor in his chest harder for the female.

She was strong willed, strong of heart, had strong miko powers and was a force to be reckoned with, but at the same time had a huge soft heart that loved everyone and defied all rules. The woman was the perfect mate… except for the detail that she was human. Sesshomaru wanted to sigh.

Kagome watched as a frustrated look crossed his eyes briefly before it was gone, but she wasn't sure if it was because of her little speech or something else. Then Sesshomaru shook his head lightly.

"Miko, you will not be harmed if you do not challenge my beast so openly. If you do it again, I cannot guarantee anything," honestly in his mind, he wouldn't have her any other way. It excited him when she challenged him and as long as she didn't upset his beast, they were ok. "However, I am a male and therefore dominant. As long as you do not challenge my beast, _he_ will remain quiet, but I will not. I will simply find other ways of making you submit," he said, his golden orbs burning into her own deep blue ones, extremely pleased with himself as a flush spread itself across her cheeks. She was so easy to bait.

Kagome sputtered once and he resisted the urge to grin. This was going to be fun.


	17. Chapter 17

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Just like I promised... two chapters!

OK! A bit if fluff in this chapter, I hope I kept them in character enough, please let me know.

YOU ALL ARE AWESOME! X3 I HAVE THE BEST REVIEWERS IN THE WORLD!

Chapter 17

Sesshomaru rolled over in his mind his last conversation with the little miko. She really made things too easy for him. The young woman had gotten all flustered, just barely catching the innuendo he'd left in his words, which was _so_ unlike him, but he couldn't seem to help himself. She had stalked off extremely red in the face and vacillating between being angry at him and being embarrassed. Yes, indeed, he was enjoying his stay in the future greatly.

Although, that thought made him stop and think for a moment. The future, that's right, he still had to find out what happens to all the demons. Sniffing elegantly, he determined that she was still in her room after stomping away earlier and he headed in her direction to get some answers.

Meanwhile Kagome was closed in her room, trying desperately to get herself under control. _That stupid, stuck up, extraordinarily sexy demon with the over inflated ego! _Fuming, she tried to make herself busy around her room, but only succeeded in pacing around angrily, though truth be told she was really trying to just calm her heated face down.

_He did that on purpose! "I will simply find other ways of making you submit," who does he think he is? Sesshomaru obviously. _Her pacing brought her to her desk where she started sifting through papers making more of a mess than anything else. Growling in frustration she resisted the urge to stamp her foot when a whole bunch of the loose papers flitted to the floor. Muttering to herself under her breath about stupid demons with really pretty hair she crouched down and started gathering the papers up again.

She had just crawled under her desk to get the last one that had managed to float to the very back of the floor way under her desk by the wall when she got the scare of a lifetime.

"Miko," a soft voice whispered right in her ear making her jump dramatically and squeak. Unfortunately for her, the desk was still above her, so when she jumped she slammed her head upward into the desk. Grabbing her head with both hands and closing her eyes to keep from seeing the dizzying stars floating through her vision, she had somehow forgotten that two out of the four appendages that had been holding her up were now no longer supporting her, but were grasping her head.

Sesshomaru watched in amusement as the miko grabbed her head and did a face plant into the floor where she seemed to become boneless and slump as close to the floor as possible groaning pathetically, still holding her head.

He had come into the room just as she'd dropped the papers everywhere, and couldn't help but watch her in amusement and interest as she'd gotten down on all fours and started gathering the papers up. Of course, when she had crawled under the desk to get the last one, he knew it was his opportunity to set her off balance again, so he'd hidden his youki and gotten close enough to the girl to whisper in her ear. Yes, this meant that the great lord Sesshomaru was on all fours under her desk as well, but the reward for such a small inconvenience was too much to pass up. Besides, no one was there to see anyway.

"Miko," he repeated louder this time and his only response was another pained groan from within the mass of raven hair that covered her head and shoulders completely and mostly hid the hands still holding the aching body part, the occasional finger poking out awkwardly from the tresses.

In another moment he heard a mumbled reply, but her face was pressed into the carpet and her hair was blocking the sound so even with his demon hearing he couldn't make out what she had actually said.

"Miko, you will need to remove your face from the carpet in order for me to understand you," he pointedly ignored the fact that the way she landed had left her round derriere up in the air slightly, the back of her short skirt pulling up a little in her crouched position leaving the backs of her upper thighs very much exposed.

The miko moved just then, tipping over and away from him to let her body plop down on her side, her hair hanging in her face and her hands still holding her head.

"I SAID, you are without a doubt THE most infuriating creature I have ever met," one blue eye cracked open and glared at him before sliding shut again, "now my head is going to be hurting me all day and it's your fault." The demon settled on his side with his elbow on the floor and resting his head against his hand.

"Well, if you had been a better miko then you would have felt my presence and it wouldn't have been a surprise to you," he said bringing the claws of his free hand up to his face to study the perfect appendages. Kagome cracked one eye to glare at him again.

"You were hiding your youki and you know it! Don't even give me that crap about being a bad miko. That's like standing behind a door and accusing someone of being blind because they can't see you!" Sesshomaru's gold eyes slid slowly from inspecting his deadly claws to the miko's face.

"You can't see people who are hiding behind a door? You must be blind," he said lazily. Kagome made a frustrated sound that made him wish he was someone who smiled.

"Ooooh! I'm gonna end up purifying your ass straight to the Kami's if you keep it up!" a silver eyebrow raised and he studied her amusedly for a moment.

"That sounded like a challenge to me…" he began and was pleased to see both beautiful blue eyes crack open and glare at him this time.

"_Anything_ that's not said in a simpering tone with a girly sigh and a _Sesshomaru-SAMA_ at the end of it sounds like a challenge to you!" her voice took on a high pitched imitation of ladies at court while saying his name and title. Sesshomaru's golden eyes twinkled with mirth, making Kagome's breath hitch in her throat. He was gorgeous to begin with, but when he let emotions show he was absolutely breathtaking.

"I do not think this Sesshomaru is going to put up with your insolence for much longer," he retorted, taking on his coldest tone of voice, though his eyes betrayed his true meaning.

"Oh, sure, and I'm a dog demon," she said rolling her eyes and flopping onto her back. "Oh, get over yourself, _my lord, _not every girl is going to swoon and throw herself at your feet in submission at the sight of you or your stupid hair." Suddenly the stupid hair she'd been referring to fell in molten silver waterfalls all around her blocking her view of everything but the demon looming above her. The desk above them forced his head closer to her than made her comfortable and she squirmed slightly at his proximity and the intensity of those golden eyes staring down at her.

"You said it was pretty when I first came in," he said, with a barely suppressed smile. This woman did things to him and made him do things that really shouldn't ever happen. Like crawling under a desk in a most unseemingly manner and crouching over a very attractive _human_ female. Cocking his head slightly he looked down at her making her swallow heavily. "So you do not like it then? I was under the distinct impression that 'many girls would kill for my kind of hair'," he said bringing a hot flush to her cheeks.

_Stupid demons and their stupid good hearing. He must have overheard me saying something like that a day or two ago. _

"You know, eavesdropping is rude," she said and wanted to smack herself the moment the words came out of her mouth, realizing she'd just admitted to saying it and a look of triumph crossed his eyes. Glaring up at him and trying to regain her composure and force the hot flush from her cheeks. No good, it just spread to her neck. Great. _Change the subject!_

"Why is the _great lord_ Sesshomaru under my desk anyway? Isn't it a little beneath you to be crawling around under a desk like a child?" she asked him pointedly still glaring up at him from her position on the floor as he continued to lean over her in a most disconcerting manner.

"This Sesshomaru does what this Sesshomaru pleases," he said haughtily, "and this Sesshomaru decided it was worth it to make you jump so hard you banged your head into the desk above you," he said with a trace of a smirk making her flush darker and glare harder up at him.

"You'd better be careful," she retorted, "because sometime _that_ Sesshomaru," she said poking a finger into the steel chest that was too close to her for comfort, "is going to do something to piss _this_ miko off," she said, repeatedly poking him in the chest. The thought briefly flashed through her mind that the stoic demon had improved in leaps and bounds. The old Sesshomaru would have removed her hand in the most painful manner possible for poking him, but instead he was now looking down at her with that teasing hint of amusement lurking in the golden depths of his eyes.

Deciding to retaliate in kind, he poked her in the ribs with one clawed finger, making sure not to hurt her with the razor sharp extension of his finger. He was quite surprised and pleased to see her squeak in the most amusing manner and squirm away from where he'd poked her. _Interesting._ He did it again and was rewarded with a louder squeak and more squirming.

Kagome for her part was surprised the demon had touched her, but was now trying really hard not to act ticklish and looked up at him blankly, fighting down the giggles as he looked at her curiously. Obviously he'd never been in a tickle war. Unexpectedly he grabbed her side with all five fingers and squeezed. It was too much for the little miko, she giggled enticingly and squirmed further away, now no longer underneath him, but making a beeline for the wall.

Without thinking, she grabbed his hand to keep it away from her side and controlled her giggles long enough to speak.

"Stop that! That tickles!" Sesshomaru cocked his head a little more, realizing that Rin had giggled like that when she was poked or touched a certain way on her sides and he assumed it was a sensitive area on females. Now he realized it must create a sensation that caused her to laugh in such a bubbly manner and he rather liked it.

His hand shot out causing Kagome to squeal in surprise as he dragged her back over to himself and grabbed her sides.

"I do not understand, you will need to explain this to me why you are reacting this way," he said, holding her in place and torturing her sides, being careful not to hurt her. Kagome dissolved into uncontrollable giggles and desperately tried to pull his hands away from her and failing miserably. "Miko, tell me why you are laughing, I do not understand," he said knowing full well there was no way she could talk while giggling so hard.

He continued to tickle her until he felt a stinging sensation along the tops of his hands and snatched his hands away. Kagome lay panting on the floor, trying to re-catch her breath as the demon inspected his hands which now had small red spots on the top of each one that looked suspiciously like the tips of small fingers. Kagome glared over at him, though the effect was ruined by the huge grin on her face.

"Serves you right. Torture a miko and you'll get burnt," he looked down at the girl appraisingly since she was now back underneath him again. She stared up at him for a few moments before speaking again. "Wow, who would have thought that anyone would ever see the _great lord of the west_ under a ningen's desk tickling her. I didn't think you even knew _how_ to tickle."

He looked down at her as if it was the dumbest thing she'd said in a while.

"You thought that this Sesshomaru _didn't_ know how to do something?" Kagome rolled her eyes and he continued, "I think you'd be surprised to know exactly _how_ much this Sesshomaru knows," he had moved closer while he had been speaking and was now so close their noses almost touched making the girl beneath him swallow tightly. He nearly smirked when he heard her heartbeat increase two fold and now could see it beating in her neck.

Suddenly he was gone and Kagome let out the breath she didn't even know she had been holding, now staring up at the underside of her desk instead of the gorgeous face of the demon she'd become attracted to.

Well… it was certainly an improvement from before. In one day he'd gone from almost killing her to tickling her under her desk. What was next?

Sesshomaru now stood in his room down the hall wondering what had come over him. _I was flirting with a ningen on the FLOOR under her DESK and I almost KISSED her just now. I must be ill. _He sat down heavily on the floor, which would be equivalent to someone else flopping down on the floor in a huff. _Why is it that when I'm around her I feel intoxicated? Her smell seems to draw me in and make me do things that I would never EVER consider doing. I was just acting like I was courting her in there. I was acting like a lovesick puppy. Father would be so pleased. _He crossed his arms with a scowl. His father had always been a soft one for ladies. Once he had even accused his own son of being gay for his lack of interest in the females around him. He wasn't _gay_, he just preferred a female who had a backbone and wasn't a simpering, power hungry, back stabbing whore. Someone who wasn't afraid of him, who could stand on their own two feet and defend herself against enemies and even against him. Someone who could see him behind all the ice he used to protect himself, who was powerful in her own right. Someone with beautiful blue black hair and deep ocean blue eyes that flashed every time he said something to irk her… someone… _Oh, Kami. _His eyes hooded in irritation. Not again.

Kagome began crawling hesitantly out from under her desk, her mind trying to comprehend everything that had happened just now. Sesshomaru had been acting friendly, even flirtatious. The thought made her stop cold. _Was he FLIRTING with me? _Her face flushed deep red.

She was still in the process of crawling out from under the desk with the paper clutched in one hand when the demon foremost in her thoughts came sweeping back in her room and sat cross legged right behind her, leaving her trapped still half under her desk. Suppressing a surge of irritation, she waited for the demon to speak.

"Miko Kagome, I require history books from this time," he said stoically, ignoring the fact that she was still half under the desk with her rear end facing him.

"Sesshomaru, if you do not move and let me get out from under this confounded desk then I really will purify your ass into the afterlife!" she said gritting her teeth and very aware that in this position her skirt probably did not cover her appropriately. Sesshomaru for his part did not mind the view at all and decided to make things difficult on the already flustered miko.

"I highly doubt you could follow through on that threat without doing something drastic and completely embarrassing yourself. Nor could you reach me effectively, so therefore, you will answer my demand and if this Sesshomaru is pleased with the result then I will consider listening to your request," he retorted, keeping his face completely blank though Kagome caught the twinkle that flashed in his eyes briefly.

_That HENTAI! He's actually enjoying this!_ Making up her mind, she decided to go the drastic route.

_She's not really going to, is she..?_ Before he could finish the thought, she had shifted in her crouched position and thrown herself backwards… and landed right in the taiyoukai's lap. Twisting around in place and causing rather unseemly thoughts to run rampant through the poor demon's head, completely unbeknownst to her, she settled herself on him so she was facing him and pressed her fingertips to his chest with an evil look.

"Now, _my lord_, you cannot move without making my aura flare and burning yourself. Since your old burns still have not finished healing, I would think this would be rather painful," Sesshomaru was more focusing on controlling other parts of his anatomy so that the woman sitting on him wouldn't be aware of what she'd done to him. Honestly, the threat of her burning him again didn't faze him a whole lot, though the burns did hurt greatly and he didn't look forward to acquiring more.

Kagome was pleased to hear and feel a rumbling under her fingers showing that _he_ was not pleased at all. After a moment of staring each other down she began to become keenly aware of the position she'd put herself in. Though she was indeed in a dominant position, she had also put herself in a _very sexy taiyoukai's LAP_, straddling his hips with nothing now but her white panties and his own pants and undergarments between them since her skirt was now bunched up around her hips. A deep flush parked itself in her cheeks again and he resisted the urge to smirk, pleased that he didn't even have to speak to cause her to blush.

Something familiar off to the side caught his eye and he glanced down at the piece of paper she'd dropped in her sudden lunge at him. He noticed that in Kagome's elegant script and the middle of a paragraph was his own name. _Well, well, well, what do we have here?_ Ignoring the now confused looking miko, he snatched up the paper and brought it closer to his face.

Kagome glanced at the slightly crumpled paper in confusion before realizing exactly what it was and felt her heart leap into her throat. She had to get that paper away from him before he read it! Reaching out to try and take it from him, he pulled it out of her reach and slowly turned his amused eyes toward the young woman.

"Oh, little miko, is something wrong?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. Kagome glared at the demon.

"Give me that paper back, I need it for my studies," she lied, hoping he would just give it back but not expecting much.

"Oh really? That is why my name is in the middle of the page? Interesting. So I am a topic of study at your school now? Fascinating, I knew I was amazing, but now I am flattered," his eyes bore into her and her flush deepened.

"Just give it back, Sesshomaru," she was starting to get really annoyed and reached for it again, but he held it back and out of reach. The thought briefly ran through the youkai's head that he was acting with the mental maturity of a two year old. This did not stop him however.

"Not until I have the chance to read whatever interesting information you may have written about me," he said, letting a little bit of a smirk show on his face. Kagome was blushing painfully red now and was reaching harder for the paper, resulting in pressing herself up against him in a manner disconcerting to them both.

With a frustrated huff she sat back down and blasted him with a light pulse of miko energy in the chest. Unfortunately for her, all this accomplished in doing was knocking him backward onto the floor and taking her with him since his other arm was around her waist. _When did that hand get there?_

Great, now she was on top of the taiyoukai sprawled on the floor, the paper was still out of reach and she just knew he was laughing at her internally!

Sesshomaru was indeed laughing at her internally. The little fire cat had knocked him over and put herself in an even worse position! Could the girl be any more amusing? Or appealing? That thought was squashed quickly and he returned to the situation at hand. Though she was making it very hard on him. His tiny miko was squirming against him in an effort to stretch above his head enough to reach the paper he was still holding out of her reach, filling his vision with a thin, creamy neck and set of collarbones.

This was _very _unlike him, but he couldn't seem to help himself. The girl drew out reactions in him that he never knew he had. Shifting underneath her he suddenly threw her off balance and she squeaked, trying to right herself. Taking advantage of her momentary diversion, he dropped the paper, buried his fingers in the hair at the back of her head and brought her face down to his, capturing her lips in a heart stopping kiss… and that's exactly what it did to the poor unsuspecting miko.

The girl's heart stopped in her chest and all breathing ceased while her mind tried to comprehend what was happening. His lips were softer than she ever could have imagined, his eyes were closed, unusual silver lashes rested against equally pale cheeks and his hand was held her in place, buried in her hair.

Her eyes slid closed as he deepened the kiss, making her shiver slightly against him. A small gasp escaped her when she felt his tongue snake out and lick her bottom lip giving him the chance he needed to invade her mouth and conquer its warm depths. She almost giggled at the feeling of his tongue against hers, it was rougher than a normal human's, but it wasn't quite as rough as a real dog's and it caused more delightful shivers to run amok down her spine.

Kagome's brain refused to work. The only thoughts that ran through her head were disjointed realizations that really didn't have a whole lot to do with one another. _Oh Kami, I'm kissing the demon lord of the west! …who is the brother of the first guy I ever kissed… so this is only my second kiss… but KAMI is he a good kisser! _

Sesshomaru was having only slightly better luck with his own brain. _Why am I kissing a ningen? This Sesshomaru doesn't kiss ningens… unless it pleases this Sesshomaru…and YES, it pleases this Sesshomaru very much… by the way, she tastes even better than she smells… _his youki growled in agreement.

The sudden need for air finally forced them apart, breathing heavily and trying to catch their breaths. Blue stared into gold as both realized what an awkward moment this created, but neither wanted to break the silence yet.

What felt like an eternity of staring at each other passed and because she's Kagome, the silence was too much for her.

"Um, Sesshomaru?" golden eyes blinked once up at her.

"Yes?" Kagome shifted on top of him nervously, making him think things that the demon ought not and grit his teeth silently.

"Um… you had a question you had come in here and asked… and I um… I forgot what it was…" she blushed, but refused to look away.

"I was asking about history books. I want to know what happened to the demons," he replied, fascinated by how frequently she blushed around him and how it couldn't be healthy to have so much blood rushing to her face constantly.

"Oh, yes, right…" she thought for a moment before her eyes widened lightly and she looked down at him again, "um, I don't think that's a good idea, Sesshomaru," she shifted again and he clamped down on her waist with his arms, forcing the girl to stay still.

"And why not?" he asked raising one silver eyebrow.

"Well…" nervous shift, more teeth gritting, "um… I think for one, the history you're looking for is so old that it's basically legend now and wouldn't be all that accurate anyways, and two it's never a good thing for someone to know the future," Sesshomaru watched her, listening intently. "As it is, you'll probably live to this era and you already have quite an advantage over other people. So, I guess I don't think it's a good idea…" Kagome shifted and made as if to move off of him, but his arms clamped down around her once again.

"Where do you think you are going?" he asked in a cool voice.

"Well, I… uh… I thought… that uh… it was… or that you… I mean…" her blush deepened and Sesshomaru couldn't resist the small smirk that played across his lips drawing Kagome's eyes to them in fascination.

"Are you not comfortable where you are? Am I that uncomfortable that you wish to get up?" he asked, knowing it would throw her completely off balance.

"No! I mean…of course I am! Or rather…you are… I just… I thought that you…"

"Good, then you will remain where you are," he said with a satisfied look on his face. Kagome just blushed more and nodded. The hand that was still entangled in her hair pulled her head down to rest in the hollow between his neck, shoulder and hard chest. "I would assume you are correct," he said and Kagome closed her eyes, reveling in the fact that she could hear his deep voice vibrating in his chest and his heartbeat in her ear. "What you have said makes sense," he said slowly.

Kagome nodded slowly her eyes remained closed when she felt his hand running through her hair, the fingers combing themselves through the silky raven tresses to return to the back of her neck, brushing the sensitive skin and making her shiver before continuing back to the lightly curled ends.

"You're worried," she said suddenly, surprising herself. The fingers ceased movement for a few moments before continuing their soothing strokes.

"Perhaps," he said slowly, "I am not used to the fact that there might be a future that I am not a major part of," he couldn't believe he was confessing this to her, but it felt so natural. Her head came up and she looked down at him, her mesmerizing blue eyes so deep and understanding, making him feel as if he could lose himself in them and always be safe. No, this particular taiyoukai had never met another human like her, nor did he believe another could possibly exist.

Almost imperceptibly she moved closer, then stopped uncertain, her eyes searching his face for any clues to his thoughts before moving closer again, her eyes beginning to close as she came closer.

Just then the door opened. Kagome's head snapped up and Sesshomaru looked over his head at the woman standing in the doorway. Mrs. Higurashi looked at them with a look that shifted from shock, to amazement, to amusement, back to shock again, and through a few other phases before the silence was finally broken.

"Have no fear, Higurashi-san. Though a tumble off the bed can sometimes prove to be fatal, this Sesshomaru made sure Kagome-san never touched the floor," Sesshomaru said in a voice that spoke of lordly seriousness, despite the girl currently laying on top of him, straddling his hips with his hair spread out like a silver blanket all around him and that he was looking at Kagome's mother from upside down.

Kagome's head dropped onto the taiyoukai's shoulder, her own shoulders shaking from the intensity of trying to contain her laughter while Mrs. Higurashi was covering her mouth with one hand to try and force the chuckles that threatened to surface back down.

"Well then, Sesshomaru-sama, you have my eternal gratitude that you were there in such a timely fashion to save my daughter from certain doom," her eyes flitted to the bed that was across the room and completely out of range of the two on the floor.

Sesshomaru nodded with a deadly serious look on his beautiful features.

"I was simply coming up to inform you both that I'm starting dinner and it will be ready in about an hour," the woman couldn't bring herself to be angry at the pair on the floor, especially since she knew Sesshomaru was a man of honor. Bowing to the pair with a barely suppressed grin of amusement, she let herself out and closed the door behind her.

Kagome collapsed on the demon's chest laughing hysterically while the demon being laughed on just stared at the ceiling, his eyes sparkling in amusement. Since when did he joke around with ningens? Since when did he joke at all? Oh, this was becoming quite vexing… but he found he couldn't quite bring himself to care as he looked down at the miko still giggling against his chest. No, it was actually quite satisfying to the stoic demon.


	18. Chapter 18

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Begins sweatdropping and scooting away Ehehehe... heh... heh... please don't kill me! Things are about to get much more complicated for our favorite couple. I couldn't just let them get away with things so easily... bad muse. This will be a very long story and I'm not ready to give it up just yet!

YamiYoukai - you leave the most awesome reviews! X3 Yes, you have a point with the cainine behavior. I don't know if I'll have him speak to her in his true form, but it's an intersting idea to consider.

Gomen! Short chapter, but I felt it was so emotionally charged that I really couldn't add more. Nice long chapter next time, I promise!

Chapter 18

Kagome sat up with a despairing gasp. Sweat soaked her night shirt and matted her hair to her cheeks and neck. Covering her face with her hands she tried not to shake. _Kami, what a dream!_ Tears ran down her face unheeded, _so much pain! So much pain and anguish! _A residual feeling of exhaustion and hopelessness washed over her and her chest constricted tightly.

Sesshomaru had come out of his state of half sleep, the demon never completely succumbed to sleep, though it was possible for him to do so. He only required rest once a week, depending on the level of activity during that week and since his week had been fairly relaxed he simply settled for a half asleep and half awake state.

The taiyoukai pulled to full wakefulness when he felt the miko's aura flash from down the hallway filled with despair, distress and pain. Rising swiftly to his feet, he made his way to her room and looked in on the tossing girl. Under the thin fabric of her shirt he saw the normally softly glowing shikon pulse wildly between a dark purple color and a vibrant pink. Part of the hopelessness and despair he'd felt from Kagome had actually come from the shikon itself and was projecting into her dreams.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright and trembled, her eyes shooting open in panic. He wasn't sure what was going on, but something had distressed the miko greatly and he figured the shikon had something to do with it.

"It was a dream," his velvety voice gave her shivers in the dark, but she shook her head and looked up at golden eyes that seemed to hold their own glow and stood out eerily in the almost black room.

"No, no it wasn't," she shook her head again, tremors in her voice betraying the power of her dream, closing her eyes against the visions. What she had seen was a cry for help. Her hand clutched the completed shikon hanging around her neck. Sesshomaru looked at the small hand holding on so desperately to the jewel and through her hand he could see the stone fluxing more wildly than before, the dark violet and light pink glows battling for dominance and shining even through the flesh of her hand, illuminating it eerily from within her palm. The demon didn't even have to extend his senses to feel the uncontrollably pulsing auras emitted from the shikon. Farther away and more faded, less uncontrolled he felt the magical aura around the well pulsing as well.

"She's losing," her voice brought his attention back to the shivering miko, "Midoriko," she said despairingly. "She's losing the battle against the youkai. I have to make a wish on the shikon no tama before something happens…"

"Miko Kagome," she looked up, "the power of the well is fluxing," Kagome's eyes went wide.

"What does that mean?" Sesshomaru shook his head.

"I do not know. Perhaps it is merely reacting to the shikon. Do you know anything about it to make it act that way?" Kagome shook her head in negative.

"No, I remember it fluxing once or twice before when the shikon became almost completely tainted, maybe that's what's doing it?" she looked up at him hopefully. The demon was staring up into space and he nodded thoughtfully.

"It would appear the time for you to make a wish has come," he took her by the hand and pulled her to her feet. "We should head to the well before you make it, just to make sure nothing happens and that I can still return." Kagome nodded mutely and followed him out the door, noticing that Tōkijin and Tenseiga were by his side as usual.

They exited the house silently and headed to the well house. Kagome began to shake in anticipation and because her damp skin felt cold in the chill night air. Here in the well house, even she could feel the well pulsing, though it didn't feel as though it were unstable. Maybe it was simply responding to the power of the jewel?

Sesshomaru turned to face the girl as she removed the shikon from around her neck and slid it off the silver chain.

"Do you know what you will wish for?" he asked curiously. Kagome nodded with a shuddering sigh.

"There's only one thing I can think of that's completely selfless…" he looked at her curiously, and resisted the urge to smile. Of course the girl would want to make a wish that would benefit other people, but with her big heart, she would realize that such a wish might also benefit herself, and was therefore still selfish. Clever girl.

Closing her eyes, she held the shikon against her chest in a silent prayer to the Kami's before opening her palms and raising the pulsing shikon.

"I wish on the power of the shikon that all those within would be free of their gem prison and would go to whatever fate awaits them in the afterlife and that all would be at peace." Sesshomaru's eyes widened involuntarily, surprised at her wish. The shikon no tama grew increasingly bright until it was impossible to see anything in the well house at all. Suddenly the light was gone and so was the shikon. Kagome felt her sides and reached out with her power to feel for any sign of it. The shikon was really gone!

Turning to Sesshomaru with a pleased grin on her features, she made as if to hug him, but seeing him, she stopped up short. His eyes were wide and he was looking at her as if trying to memorize her face. Just then she felt the power of the well as it fluxed madly and began to fade away. At the same moment she realized why Sesshomaru had a hint of panic in his eyes. He was fading too.

The demon began to become translucent and lose physical weight. Kagome shook her head in denial and tried to grab onto his arm.

"No! No! NO NO NO! Sesshomaru, don't go yet!" she cried frantically, but her hand went right through his own clawed hand as if he were merely a ghost. Her little hands reached out to where his chest was fading away, wanting to touch him one last time. His golden eyes watched her with mixed feelings, already she and his surroundings were fading away to be replaced by the forest around his side of the well.

"_Fear not miko,"_ his voice was echo like in quality and sounded far away, _"we WILL meet again,"_ Kagome sobbed and reached for him again. No! She wasn't ready to part ways yet! She'd just begun to get to know the demon beneath the ice and now he was being taken from her too! With a final pulse from the well he completely disappeared and the well fell silent.

"NO! No! Sesshomaru, don't leave me!" she screamed to the empty well house. "Please!" collapsing to her knees, she sobbed until her chest hurt and her eyes were red.

Five hundred years in the past a demon stood by a well staring at the stars he had missed so much and breathing the fresh air that cleansed his abused lungs. He had heard the echoes of her last cries through time as he had fully solidified in the past before the sound died away leaving him once again in the time in which he was born. A small look of sadness and loss crossed his face before it was gone as if never existing and was replaced by a familiar mask of ice. Glancing to his side, golden eyes took in the dark well in the forest that was named for his half brother.

The portal was dark and silent, absolutely no feeling of magic around it anymore, no more tendrils of power. After a few moments, the demon put one foot in front of the other and headed west, knowing the looks he was going to get when arriving home so inappropriately dressed since he still had the t-shirt and workout pants on, but he knew all he had to do was look at any who dared to defy him.

A wave of loss rose up in his chest as his thoughts rested on his week away with the little miko, but no outward signs showed on his face at all, even his eyes were completely iced over. No one would ever know the demon lord had known any weakness. As far as he was concerned, it had never happened and he would return to his normal stoic and icy rule.

Though as he traveled, he realized it wasn't that simple. He couldn't simply deny that it had happened. The feeling of her lips, of her soft body, the way she smiled at him when he'd let his humor show, the way the fire leapt up in her eyes during sword practice. No, those would haunt him for all of his days.

Kagome scrubbed her eyes dry and stood, casting one last glace at the dark well. She could feel nothing from it and knew it would be futile and probably hazardous to try and jump down it now. Fresh tears began to well up in her eyes as the realization set in that she would never see the feudal era again. The well was closed and with it all hope of fixing her friend's graves or seeing a certain stoic demon lord again.

With a heavy sigh and an equally heavy heart, she turned to leave the well house and head back into her home. Stopping to stare up at the stars she let despair wash over her briefly. He probably was happy to be back and to be rid of the annoying miko who caused him so much trouble.

Shaking her head at herself with a gentle smile, she knew she was wrong. Just the way he had kissed her only a few hours ago had destroyed all ideas that he felt nothing for her. _What_ exactly he'd felt for her, she didn't think she'd ever know. But he'd felt _something_, of that she was sure.

This only made her poor heart ache more. She'd lost so much and just when she was beginning to make something new she could hold onto _that_ was taken from her too.

With another heart wrenching sigh, she entered her home and returned to the life of a normal high schooler.


	19. Chapter 19

AUTHOR'S CONER:

Gomen, it's not as long as I'd hoped, but here it is, and it's early too! I managed to get up with enough time to update before work! X3

To answer everyone's question, no, the story does not end here and YES! Much more story is on the way! I still have to get our favorite couple together and perhaps figure out how to produce some kids! But I won't make it easy on them! So you'll just have to find out what happens later! Enjoy!

Chapter 19

Sesshomaru sat at his desk, letting his mask slip for once and massaging the raging headache he was developing. Twenty years had passed since he'd returned from the future. No one had known where he had been or even if he had survived the battle with Naraku and he'd returned to anarchy. His subjects had seen Rin's and Jaken's remains as well as smelt his blood on the battlefield, but could find no trace of Naraku or Sesshomaru, so they assumed the worst and the more powerful of his court tried to take his position and his rule.

This had been squashed quickly upon his return. However, it had taken him some time to reassure his subjects that yes, indeed, he had returned and that HE and HE ALONE was lord of the western lands and re-establish his rule.

Currently he was trying to prevent a war and was failing miserably. The southern lord was determined to have the western lands and would stop at nothing to get them. Of course, when Sesshomaru had returned and found the lord in his lands trying to wrest power away from his loyal subjects and take over the western lands. He had been less than thrilled and had thrown the lord out on his head, literally. Now the snake youkai was preparing for war, continuing to insist that Sesshomaru was somehow changed and was no longer fit to rule.

Ken'ichi, lord of the southern lands had declared war less than a year ago. The snake youkai had been trying to gather support with the other ruling lords and lesser nobles, but many were hesitant to go against the taiyoukai of the west, son of Inu no Taisho. Ken'ichi's basis of accusation lay completely on the fact that the lord had been absent quite a bit while hunting Naraku and then had disappeared without a trace for an entire week after the death of his half brother and the evil hanyou.

The lord of the south, despite advice against this was now gathering an army with the intentions of taking over the west by force. In the north, Lord Takehiko who has been a long time ally of the west immediately sided with Sesshomaru and was amassing his own considerable army to march with Sesshomaru's. The east was under the current rule of Lady Yoko on the eastern shore whose husband was killed in an accident while she was visiting friends on the continent. Yoko had yet to take a new mate and was hesitant to enter into war without a strong male to lead. She was no one to sniff at, however, she felt the army might not listen or rally as strongly behind female rule. It would take time to find a new mate and right now her allegiances weren't strong enough to simply hand over to either the northern or western lords. Yoko had claimed neutrality in the upcoming war, though she saw eye to eye with the other two lords.

Outwardly, no one could detect any change in the stoic youkai, he was as icy and vicious as ever, however, inwardly, the demon couldn't seem to shake the memories of a certain bubbly and violent human miko. In the dark of night when he lay in bed attempting to rest his thoughts would be plagued by soft lips and an equally soft body, the sound of giggling and the painfully absent scent of sakura blossoms and spring water.

During his days, Sesshomaru forced himself to be busy with his preparations for war, not that it was terribly difficult mind you, however in those quiet moments when he lay down to rest his thoughts were ever turbulent. Right after his return he found himself hoping uncharacteristically that a way to reach her again would be found and that he would be able to once again be in her presence.

As the days passed, his heart grew cold once more and the wall she had so carefully melted began to close over again. He became more distant and more unapproachable, even for his allies and those he had known for a long time. For a little while, bitterness even found its way into his heart before it was squashed. The taiyoukai of the west had no time nor need for ridiculous feelings such as longing and bitterness. Systematically and thoroughly, he began to bury the memories of a smiling miko and replacing them with thoughts of war and bloodshed, as he had been before the cursed miko had affected him.

In a last ditch effort his conscience kept digging her up and refusing to let him bury her memory completely, forcing thoughts of their last days together into his mind at the most inappropriate times. He might see her again, his conscience reasoned, he would live a long time, it would be possible to meet her again. These thoughts only made him angrier and left him in foul moods that would last for days. Outwardly however, his subjects noticed nothing save for the fact that he ruled with a heavier hand than he used to. Many attributed it to the fact that the little ningen girl that used to travel with him was now dead and he was no longer weakened by her presence.

Sighing inwardly, he tried to shake his thoughts of her and focus on the coming war and the alliances he was forging instead of blue eyes and rosy lips, but nothing he did worked. Twenty years and still he could not forget her. Suppressing a groan and picking up the next missive he was trying to read he realized it was going to be a long couple of centuries.

Kagome shifted in her chair boredly. She hated seminar. All they did was lecture and make every student fall asleep. It had been six years since the disappearance of Sesshomaru. Kagome had graduated from high school with high honors and had been accepted to Tokyo University where she had taken up Ancient History and Archaeology as a double major. It was her last semester and she was set to graduate at the close of the year.

Through all her accomplishments, she still felt strangely empty and alone. It had taken her a little time to get used to the fact that her life in the past was completely over, but she couldn't help hoping that she might get the chance to see the one person who linked her to her past again. For months she had searched long and hard through all sorts of records for Sesshomaru, hoping that he had made it. Some sign that he was alive somewhere, but it had all been fruitless. The last known account of the powerful demon had been during one of the demon wars. The one where demons were almost completely eradicated by a group of humans. The accounts were unclear and it seemed as if some of the facts were more assumption and legend than actual fact, but it was the last documented evidence of the taiyoukai of the west and she treasured it, despite the fact that it might in actuality be his obituary.

Kagome had dedicated her life to setting right the inaccuracies in ancient Japanese history, so she had taken up History and Archaeology as her majors when she'd been accepted to college and had excelled.

Her teachers commended her on her passion and uncanny knowledge of the feudal era and her ability to 'visualize' the layout of the land and the way things happened. They were especially pleased with her knowledge of miko and houshi traditions and ceremonies as well as their modus opperandum.

Though she wasn't entirely sure why, because it definitely wasn't needed in the future, she had continued her swordsmanship. She had searched long and hard for a proper swordsman trainer who would teach her the techniques that Sesshomaru had begun and then be able to continue them and finish off her training. Eventually she managed to find a retired swordsmanship instructor who taught a rather unorthodox form of swordsmanship. It was unorthodox because he taught his students how to kill instead of 'banty swords around like children with toys rather than an artisan with his most prized tool.' The sensei had been reluctant to teach the young woman, scoffing at her when she had first approached him, but when she'd unsheathed Fubuki and displayed her current knowledge, he changed his tune, recognizing something good when he saw it.

The teacher was impressed with how quickly she picked up the techniques and was more than surprised at the repertoire of skills she already knew. He surmised that she had been taught by a real fighter, and a damn good one at that, however she would never reveal any of her previous experiences.

Fubuki fascinated him as well. The sword was of incredible make, a form of metallurgy that he had never seen before. The blue tint to the blade and the amazingly sharp edge made him question the origin of the katana, but her only answer was that it was a family heirloom passed down over time and that it was not for sale.

Though he was disappointed, he held his tongue and trained her to the best of his abilities. Under his critical eye, he watched her go from a young girl with some good skills and an untrained body, to a young woman whose muscles were formed for swordsmanship and her movements were fluid and very comfortable with a sword. Kagome insisted that they train at least twice a week despite her school schedule and she was faithful in her training right through high school and into college. By the time she was a sophomore he had nothing left to teach her and he insisted that she should compete, however she would hear nothing of it. Her life was too busy to do something like compete.

Her swordsmanship training was kept very separated from her miko training and she was extremely careful to do her sentient sword training out of her sensei's presence. When with him, Fubuki was a normal sword. Outside of her training with her sensei, she did extensive work with the elemental, learning the attacks and how to bring the power within the sword to bear, mix it with her own miko energy and create attacks that would rival those of Tetusaiga.

Fubuki was not a houshi by any stretch of the imagination, but he had been held in the hands of a miko for so many years that he had learned the tricks of the trade and had gladly taught the modern miko everything he knew as well as some other tricks of an elemental that carried over. They spent long training sessions out in the field that Sesshomaru used to take her to, though she had to bike there instead of being carried since the taiyoukai was no longer around.

Somehow, when she gripped her sword and felt the flux of her miko powers within her veins she felt closer to the taiyoukai separated from her by time.

Kagome's attention was drawn back to the teacher lecturing in front of the class as he began to hand out the subject of everyone's seminar. Each student had a different subject matter so that it was impossible for students to cheat or copy another's work. The little miko received her paper and glanced briefly at it. They were usually extraordinarily hard and this one caused a lump to form in her throat.

Obviously her interest in the demon wars and finding Sesshomaru had been noticed by her teacher because her seminar project was to head to the small and very much unnoticed ancient shrine down south and bring back information, pictures and a few other odds and ends about it, and then write a report about the war the shrine was dedicated to using the information she'd gathered.

She put the paper in her bag with a sigh. The only good thing about their reports was that they usually had to travel to accomplish them and were given large chunks of time off from school to do their information gathering, organizing and report writing. _Well, time to head south. _

A day later found Kagome on the highway heading south, following the instructions the teacher had provided in order to find the forgotten shrine. Supposedly, the shrine stood in the middle of where a massive battle had been held. It was supposed to be one of the last battles of the demon wars before the fall of the demons. Perhaps she would find a hint about whether or not Sesshomaru had been there.

A slow smile spread over the miko's face as she remembered the past few years and all her studies. It had come as quite a surprise and quite flattering to discover that she had been written into history. Oh, of course it wasn't her name specifically and quite a few details had been lost, however she had found the tale of the hanyou pinned to the tree who had eventually come back to life and with the help of a beautiful and powerful miko had destroyed a great evil and then both mysteriously disappeared from the land.

Kagome's smile faded slightly as she considered her project once again. When she'd gone online and researched the location of the shrine and matched up its location in association with what the land might have looked like back then as well as her knowledge of the layout of the land, it appeared that the battle had been fought on what was most likely the neutral territory between the southern and western lands. If Sesshomaru had been alive at this point, which she was almost sure of, then that would mean that this was more than likely a battle fought between his own army and the army of the south. To her knowledge, when she had left for the last time she hadn't known of any sort of arising conflict between the lords, but then Sesshomaru had never been one to talk about things like that.

Briefly, her thoughts rested on the stoic demon and her failed attempts at other relationships. She blamed him entirely. Ever since he'd disappeared, she couldn't help but compare every boy who wanted to date her to a certain silver haired dog demon, and naturally, they never stood a chance. Of course it didn't help that a particularly cute and chibified version of Sesshomaru ran around in her head saying "see, I told you so!" every time she had another failed relationship. Sighing bitterly to herself, she remembered that she had long ago given up trying to find someone to replace the demon since she knew there wasn't one. Or at least, the last she had heard of him he was five hundred years in the past and rather inaccessible.

Turning her little car off the main road, she drove down a heavily wooded road for quite some time before her directions sent her off on another side dirt road. The young woman drove down this road for quite a while longer before finally seeing a faded and fairly old sign for the shrine, indicating that it was just up ahead.

After a few more minutes of driving, the shrine finally came into sight. Kagome parked the car in the small parking alcove and exited the vehicle, taking a good look at the scenery around her. The shrine was surrounded by heavy woods now, though supposedly at the time of the battle it was all open field land. The land was now currently reserved property, meaning it was being held as off limits to build on in order to preserve the wildlife in the area. Kagome's eyes fell on the ramshackle shrine that sat nestled in the arm of the forest, covered in debris from many years of disrepair and disuse.

Continuing to look around her in interest, she pulled Fubuki out of the car and strapped him across her back as had become custom with her. The young miko was never far from the sword and in her studies, she had found that when traveling and studying Archaeology it was unwieldy to have him strapped to her side, so she'd become used to attaching him in a shoulder harness and drawing him from behind her shoulder. After settling him comfortably between her shoulder blades, she pulled her bag and video camera from the back seat, shut the door and approached the shrine, videotaping parts she would need for later and generally just getting a good look at the surrounding area before heading inside.

It was a warm day and the sun was shining brightly, so Kagome had dressed comfortably in a tank top and mid-thigh shorts complete with hiking boots and sturdy socks in case she had to do any walking. Her almost butt length black hair was pulled back loosely in a ponytail, letting stray hairs frame her face and neck.

The shrine was dark and damp inside. Striding to one side, she threw open the shuttered windows letting some light and air in before taking a look around. In the middle of the floor was the center piece of the shrine. The information had been lost, but supposedly something important had happened on that spot that had changed the course of the battle. Kagome approached the waist high monument, circling it with her video camera, getting a few close up shots before putting the camera to the side and crouching down to examine it more closely.

The monument was made of rough hewn stone and had markings on it that had almost been completely scratched away and wiped clean. The legend was that a group of holy men had found the monument shortly after the demon wars had ended and demons had been erased from existence. In their desperation to complete the genocide of the demons they removed the shrine, trying to scratch away the etchings and remove all evidence of any demon victories. Centuries later, the stone had been found and put back where they assumed it had been before, using the markings in the ground left from when the stone had been situated previously. The shrine house had been erected around it to help prevent any more damage to the monument and help preserve what had been lost, but it was no use. There was no one alive that could read the strange scribbles in the rock, nor did they know if it was still accurate or if the holy men had done too much damage to it to make it even readable.

Kagome leaned closer to the rock, kneeling down on one leg to reach out and touch the rock reverently. There, etched in the rock for all to see was the same ancient demon writing that Sesshomaru had used when he had come to high school with her that day so long ago. She couldn't read it of course, but it looked exactly the same, though greatly faded and chipped because of the abuse it had seen.

Kagome's head came forward and her forehead rested against the rock, her eyes slid closed and her fingers slowly traced the familiar etchings in the rock. Letting her mind wander she imagined herself back at that battle, Sesshomaru standing in front of his troops in his familiar hakama with his tail over his right shoulder and Tōkijin in his hand, hair blowing magnificently in the wind. The sound of steel and cries of death heavy in the air. Oh how she wished she knew the outcome of that battle! The shrine was simply evidence that something had happened to change the tide of the battle, but no facts could be found to say which side had won or what had happened.

Cool rough stone slid against her fingers as she sighed deeply. _If only I could find out. If only there was some way I could see what happened to him. Oh, Kami! I wish there was some way for me to see him again! I wish I could see what happened here! _

Kagome gasped as an overwhelming pulse of power ran through her. Panting slightly in pain, she doubled over, one hand holding her chest and the other braced against the wooden floor. White erupted before her dazed eyes before shifting to a familiar blue and an intense feeling of vertigo overtook her. Briefly she thought she heard her own voice very far away cry out in despair and weep, but she never got the chance to examine that because very suddenly and unexpectedly the vertigo stopped and the world solidified around her once again.

The feeling of relief disappeared like mist in the sun when it wasn't the shrine house that solidified around her, but a very loud, very bloody battlefield.

_Oh, Kami… where am I and what have I done?_


	20. Chapter 20

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

-Eep!- Sorry about the cliffy guys! -sweatdrop- Since I felt so bad, I've decided to update so early this time, yes, it's still an odd numbered day of the month... but it's 2 in the morning instead of before work:) I don't think alot of you will be very happy with me about this chapter either, but bear with me! I have alot to get out of the way between the two of them! Things will get better and much more interesting, I promise! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS! A bunch of you guys actually had me laughing out loud this time around! You guys are awesome! Not a single flame so far and tons of wonderful reviews to read every time I log on:D I love you guys!

Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Looking up in confusion and fear her mind finally began to process what was happening around her. She somehow had been transported directly into the past to a battle and from the looks of the soldiers all around her who ceased fighting to stare at the barely dressed apparition before them, they were all demons. Wonderful, apparently, she'd been transported back to the very battle that her teacher had sent her to study and write on. Well, nothing like actual experience right?

It didn't take long for the demons to shake themselves out of their stupor and decide to do something about the bizarre human female who had appeared in the middle of a fierce battle in a flash of strange blue light. What was obviously a snake demon stepped forward as battle resumed all around her, combatants locked in combat and others dying with deafening wails. The snake youkai lifted a heavy axe over her head with a fang filled sneer.

Before Kagome's absent mind was able to get the memo that logical thought was somewhat needed right now, her body reacted, pulling Fubuki from his sheath behind her shoulder and brought her miko powers to bear on the blade, igniting it with a pale pink glow. The sight of a naked and glowing blade in the hands of the woman caused the demon to pause before bringing the axe down on her from over his head, but he shrugged as if it was impossible that the woman would have any skill with a weapon and continued his swing.

Fortunately for Kagome, an axe is a very slow weapon to fight with and she easily dodged his first few swings, making the youkai very angry. He swung wildly at the woman now, hissing in frustration before he stopped in confusion and then screamed in pain as the sword now embedded in his torso purified him from the inside out. Within seconds he was nothing but ash.

Combatants all around stopped and stared at the odd woman who now began cutting a path through any youkai who got too near to her, her odd silvery sword glowing pink and leaving tendrils of cold air behind the sweeping blade. The youkai wearing the same uniform as the snake youkai she'd killed decided she must be an enemy and started to attack her in earnest, rushing her and trying to overwhelm her.

Kagome's brain still refused to process things in any intelligent way, so she simply reacted to immediate stimulus, relying on her miko senses and her instincts as well as Fubuki's whispered observations. With a cry of "Kaze no koori!" she cut a massive path of icy destruction through the snake youkai clamoring to destroy the weak human before turning back to the battle, oblivious to the amazed stares of the youkai in western armor.

Sesshomaru had led his troops into the battle, heading up the charge across the field to collide with Ken'ichi's army while the southern lord himself stood safely to the side and watched the battle from a short distance away. The taiyoukai of the western lands was now cutting his way through the foul ranks of snake youkai, unwilling to unleash his kentasu or the dragon strike quite yet. For one thing, he usually reserved those for one on one battles and the other was that he knew the battle would be long, so he did not wish to use any excess energy.

Most youkai fell back in fear at the sight of the deadly lord before they were relentlessly cut down, the mass of bodies lying in the deadly dog demon's wake increasing with each passing minute. When an opening was created in which friendly losses were at a minimum, he would unleash a short blast of his kentasu, making sure not to use too much energy.

Though the lord himself was as of yet unharmed and leaving great devastation in his path, he could clearly see across the field that over all, his troops were beginning to lose the battle. At this point they had been fighting for a good few hours and the losses were beginning to take a toll. The southern army was much larger than they had anticipated and they just kept on coming, those still in reserve leaping forward to take the place of the fallen. The snake youkai fought with no regard for themselves or fellow troops which made them difficult to fight against. Despite the assistance the northern lord had sent since he himself couldn't make an appearance it was clear that it wouldn't quite be enough.

A disturbance close to the edge of the southern army's line of reserves caught his attention and he narrowed his eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of what it was over the din of battle.

Kagome realized after receiving a few nicks and small wounds that unless she did something drastic that she would not make it to the edge of the battle in one piece. She'd done a fantastic job fending any attackers off, but it would not be good enough. A short time after being thrown into the middle of the battle she had come to the understanding that the more practical looking uniforms were those belonging to the west since they all had the insignia of a dog with a crescent moon on them somewhere and that the enemy were the youkai who were mostly snakes in the fancy red armor.

Nodding to herself and mentally preparing Fubuki, she decided that indeed, drastic measures were required. In a loud and clear voice that rose up over the din of battle she yelled to the western soldiers.

"Those allied to the west! Fall back as far from me as you can!" this said, she turned to the closest in the southern uniforms, "alright you pricks from the south! Come get me!" with outraged cries, soldiers from the south charged her position as soldiers of the west moved away slowly, not entirely sure what to make of the fiery young woman who was almost naked to their eyes.

Kagome grinned evilly, she'd wanted to try this in full force for a long time, but had never found an appropriate place to do it. Grabbing Fubuki with both hands on the hilt, she pointed the tip straight into the ground and stabbed down as hard as possible, embedding the blade a few inches into the blood soaked earth. Kneeling down, she placed her forehead to the hilt before throwing her head back with a cry of "Ame no koori!"

Suddenly the air right around the miko grew intensely cold and dark clouds appeared from nowhere, swirling down like a tornado to touch the pommel of the katana. The charging youkai stopped in their tracks as they stared at the young woman kneeling on the ground, gripping the katana tightly and beginning to glow a bright pink. Moments later the sky began to rain large chunks of ice shaped like spear heads for a fifty yard radius. The woman's hair swirled around her as her power gathered into her, was conducted into the katana and then exited into the swirling clouds bringing the freezing storm down on her enemies. Wherever the shards touched was instantly turned to ice. Youkai all around her screamed in agony as arms, torsos, legs and anything else touched by the downpour was turned into solid ice and in some cases shattered. The ground was quickly covered in fog as the intense cold mixed with the warm air and created a version of snow fog.

Though the attack was powerful and basically obliterated and or put every fighter within a hundred yards of her out of commission, the attack required massive amounts of concentration and power, draining her more than she'd anticipated. The attack took only a matter of thirty seconds or so, but to the combatants it seemed like the ice rain fell forever. Eventually it slowed and came to a stop, the sky cleared back to its original grayish hue and Kagome gripped the sword in surprise. Although she still had reserves of power left, the attack had taken more than she had wanted to give and she felt shaky and weak. Gripping Fubuki tightly she staggered to her feet and pulled the blade from the ground with more effort than it should have taken.

After the initial shock of the attack had passed and the ice ceased to fall from the sky, the youkai once again rushed the miko who was currently struggling to her feet, though they carefully avoided the still melting ice and dead or dying comrades around her.

Sesshomaru's head snapped up when he heard the cry of Ame no koori and watched in amazement (though of course his face still looked bored) as the sky began to rain ice down on his enemies.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks that he knew that voice just before the sweet scent of sakura blossoms drifted to his nose over the stench of blood and death. _Only one sword I know of could unleash an attack like that and last I knew it was over four hundred years in the future… with … _

Unexplainable panic rushed through is veins and clamped down on his heart at the thought that his little miko might be the cause of that sudden unnatural storm and may very well be in incredible danger. With a roar that stopped the blood in the veins of friends and enemies alike he took off in the direction of the localized storm, cutting through enemy youkai like water, unleashing his kentasu here and there to further speed his progress across the massive battlefield.

Ken'ichi's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the strange looking girl who was killing everything that came near her. He was surprised to see that she knew how to fight passably well, though it was obvious that this was her first battle. When the girl had dropped to her knees in front of her downward pointed sword and unleashed that storm he had really begun to become concerned. Just who was this girl?

It was then that he noticed the lord of the west rapidly making his way over to the location of the girl. Unfortunately, he couldn't glean from the demon's expression why he was headed over, but his actions showed anxiety. Whether he was going there to kill her or protect her, he didn't know, but now he was determined that he, lord of the south was going to have the girl, not Sesshomaru. With an evil smirk, he finally waded into the battle, heading for the girl in an attempt to get there before the inuyoukai did.

With a growl of frustration, Sesshomaru leapt over his enemies and finally caught sight of who was in the center of the storm. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of his little miko who wasn't so young anymore. Her body had filled out nicely, her long raven ponytail was being whipped upward due to the force of her storm and her eyes were closed, her face upturned to the clouds she'd created. Dodging the ice that rained down from above, he made his way toward her, determined to bring her to safety before finding out what in the hell she was doing there.

As the girl finally opened her eyes and stood, bracing herself with a weary stance he caught sight of Ken'ichi approaching rapidly from the side. Putting on a final burst of speed, he snagged the miko and blocked Ken'ichi's blade, leaping high into the sky, putting distance between himself and the battle below. With a low hiss Ken'ichi leapt upward in pursuit.

Kagome had just been preparing herself to fight to the death, purifying and freezing whatever her blade touched when a strong arm gripped her around her waist and her stomach was left behind as she lurched upward and into the sky, her feet dangling below her and her sword out in front of her as if she were a doll being picked up by its owner.

Below her, she saw a rather powerful looking youkai stop right where she had been moments before and leap after them with a hiss. Suppressing a yelp as the arm holding her suddenly changed directions and began falling toward the earth again, moving away from the youkai who was following them doggedly, she finally had the presence of mind to twist around with a scowl to see who had nabbed her.

Sesshomaru wanted to smile in satisfaction at the look on his miko's face when she finally managed to twist around enough to see him, but his concentration was mostly on the lord following them. Apparently the youkai wanted the girl for himself when he'd witnessed her display of power, otherwise he would have tried to kill them both instead of chasing them.

"Sesshomaru, how unfair of you to unleash such a powerful and beautiful weapon on my unsuspecting troops," the youkai taunted as Sesshomaru dodged to the side and away from the demon's lunge as he touched down and leapt high into the air again. Kagome liked rollercoasters, but this was ridiculous.

"Since when have you ever done anything fairly, Ken'ichi?" Sesshomaru retorted in a bored tone.

"Now now, Sesshomaru, you're going to tarnish my good name in front of the very enticing female you're currently trying to take away from me," he said shooting the fuming miko a lustful look.

"My name is Kagome, you stupid snake! KA-GO-ME!" the fiery little miko shouted fearlessly at the youkai chasing them, waving her sword at him in an attempt to look threatening and making Sesshomaru wish he could roll his eyes. She hadn't changed at all.

"Goodness, Sesshomaru. What a little hellion you've found," Ken'ichi's massive black sword clashed with Tōkijin as they battled in the air, Sesshomaru keeping his own body between Kagome and the snake.

The southern lord attacked relentlessly, looking for any weakness in the taiyoukai's stance or defenses. If he could just injure the dog without endangering the woman then he could claim her as his own. What a fine concubine and battle tool she would make! Licking his lips in anticipation he renewed his attacks on the western lord who doggedly kept himself between Ken'ichi and the miko.

Their fight had them leaping high into the air and falling again, using the force of their blows and sword clashes as momentum to keep their leaping and dodging going. Sesshomaru landed and unexpectedly leapt with great force almost straight up going quite an impressive distance above the battle with the snake following him. The taiyoukai knew this was a ridiculous fight and wished to end it as soon as possible, though he didn't see how he could do it with the miko clutched under one arm.

Still heading higher into the air, Sesshomaru was surprised to feel Kagome twist in his arm and whisper "let go." Was the girl crazy? She'd fall to her death! Deciding to trust her he loosened his hold knowing he could catch her when necessary.

Kagome felt his grip loosen on her waist and took advantage of that and their momentum to kick herself backward and power up Fubuki. Sesshomaru recognized the shift in her aura and smiled menacingly down at the southern lord.

Ken'ichi looked up at the now separated pair in confusion. The young girl had twisted out of Sesshomaru's grip and thrown herself backward, bringing her sword to bear in front of her and he felt a shift in her energy. At the same time Sesshomaru twisted in the air, pulling Tōkijin forward, seemingly waiting for something.

Kagome watched in satisfaction as Fubuki frosted all the way to the tip and began to glow bright white.

"Kaze no koori!" with a yell Kagome swiped the sword in Ken'ichi's direction and a wave of pure blizzard power swept toward him with amazing speed. At the same moment Sesshomaru swung Tōkijin and released his soryouha, fiery demon energy met with the freezing energy of her kaze no koori, but instead of canceling one another out, they swirled around one another, like polar opposite energy, repelling and attracting one another until the mix of white and fiery blue energy slammed into Ken'ichi, stopping his upward movement and throwing him hard into the ground making a crater where he'd landed.

The blast from Fubuki had catapulted Kagome's light frame further into the sky making her backflip up and away from Sesshomaru. The taiyoukai couldn't help but admire the changes in the girl's form as she soared through the air, hair whipping all around her as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her, Fubuki held out to one side as her bright blue eyes watched the demon's rapid descent and meeting with the ground.

Internally Kagome was beginning to wonder if Sesshomaru planned on retrieving her or just letting her fall. Good thing she wasn't afraid of heights, she thought sarcastically. Just then Sesshomaru was by her side with one hand resting lightly on her waist as they began their own descent to the ground. Though the hand on her waist felt light, she knew she was held with a steel grip as they touched down because she didn't feel jerked at all, just safe.

Ken'ichi dragged himself out of his crater with a look of hatred burning in his eyes, most of which was directed at Kagome. His chest smoldered and she could see most of his armor had been burned away and his entire front from his chin all the way down to his waist was severely burnt and singed. It was quite painful looking, though Kagome felt no remorse for causing such damage.

"You'll pay for that, you little bitch!" he hissed at her. Kagome wanted to retort back that he'd missed the slight fact that she _wasn't_ a female dog demon, thank you very much, but figure it wasn't the wisest time to do that. With a loud hiss and an odd sounding snarl Ken'ichi began to change.

His long black hair and lean face shape shifted, elongating even more until it was shaped like a massive snake, his hair disappeared along with his arms and legs until nothing was left of the humanoid demon before them and in his place was a massive black mamba, the protruding fangs were as long and thick around as her thigh and he stood as tall as Sesshomaru's dog form.

Glancing over at Sesshomaru, she realized he planned on meeting the snake on even terms. With a feral snarl Sesshomaru's face became long and fuzzy, his eyes turned bright red the hurricane force winds picked up as his youki swirled around him making Kagome squint her eyes. Moments later a massive white dog stood where Sesshomaru was before. The demon's faced off, hisses and snarls blending together as sickening yellow eyes bore into demonic red. Generals on each side of the army decided to follow the example of their masters and massive dogs, snakes and other enormous demons began to emerge all over the field.

_Oh Kami! This is bad! _

Ame no Koori – Rain of Ice, this attack brings down something resembling a hail storm, only the chunks of ice are shaped like spearheads and freeze whatever they touch kind of like nitroglycerine. The caster must remain still during this spell which is the major weakness of such a casting. This is an area of effect spell and the range is a circumference of fifty yards. The caster becomes more and more drained the longer they hold the spell in effect.

Soryouha – spelling? Dragon strike attack that was used in movie three against InuYasha. Sesshomaru calls down a massive blue and yellow lighting storm that strikes his target much in the way his kentasu does.


	21. Chapter 21

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

-sigh- I'm updating tonight, the day before I usually update because I have a 12 hour work shift tomorrow. I work two jobs and they happened to need me at one job in the morning and the other one for the evening. Therefore, I didn't want to leave you all in the lurch and not update until late late late tomorrow night, so I'm letting you have it early. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep up this rapid update schedule... I'll warn you all if it's dropping back though.

I would love to address every one of your reviews, however, it's a pet peeve of mine when authors have really long notes before their chapters, so I'll be brief and just answer the key questions I got.

Requests for fluff: I'm sorry, you all will have to be patient. There will be wonderfully yummy lemons later and I will DEFINITELY make it worth the wait with lots of soft squishy fluff leading up to it, however, they're not there quite yet. If I made it too easy, it wouldn't be in character and waiting just makes it that much sweeter!

Question about the sizes of the transformed demons: the taiyoukai (meaning the lords of the north, south, east and west, don't really care if that's the way it is in the show, in my story it is) are much bigger than other transformable demons. Sesshomaru and Ken'ichi stand at least a story or more taller than other noble demons. SPOILER: Kagome's handmaiden later has an animal form and it's about the size that Fubuki is described as having in this chapter.

Think that's it, hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 21

Kagome backed up as a battle of titans began. Demons of varying sizes slammed into one another all across the battlefield, clawing, biting, snarling, hissing and generally destroying whatever they touched. Sesshomaru and Ken'ichi were the biggest of the demons in the area and the ground shook with each pounding step the massive dog took.

Ken'ichi hissed and lunged quickly as a cobra at the white dog. The pair snapped, snarled, and hissed as they tumbled into one another, rolling around on the ground, fighting for dominance. Kagome watched in horror as Ken'ichi struck forward, too fast to see, massive fangs sank into his furry white shoulder. Sesshomaru snarled in anger as he felt the sting of poison in his veins, but he twisted in on the snake unworried. He had a natural immunity to most poison due to his poison claws.

Fubuki acted of his own accord; the sword disappeared from her lax hand in a puff of white smoke and beside her stood a massive white panther whose back stood as tall as her slim waist. Kagome grinned at the elegant beast and grabbed a nearby discarded bow and quiver of arrows before climbing onto Fubuki's back.

The panther let out a feral roar before leaping nimbly out and into the battlefield. Fubuki was capable of remaining in his mortal cat form almost indefinitely as long as he was touching his master. It required such little power from Kagome that she could even sleep with him curled up next to her and still regain her full powers. Separated from her, however, he could only remain in cat form for about a day before draining her too much.

Kagome settled onto Fubuki's back easily and slung the quiver over one shoulder before drawing out an arrow and fitting it to the string. A flare of bright pink engulfed the arrow as it went streaking into a nearby enemy demon, purifying it upon contact. Fubuki growled in approval, his quick paws carrying them safely through the din of battle while Kagome released a steady stream of bright pink arrows.

Sesshomaru was struggling with his current adversary. Ken'ichi was extremely fast, striking and then pulling out of range, his poison not affecting the dog demon much except to little by little put a rather alarming amount of fang holes in the demon's flesh and leave him bleeding from every single one.

Roaring in anger, Sesshomaru managed to swing his head around fast enough to grab the snake behind its scaly head, making him convulse wildly. The deadly fangs that had just been embedded in the dog demons side were brutally ripped out causing the dog to grunt in pain, but Sesshomaru refused to let go now that he'd finally gotten a good hold on the serpent. Ken'ichi flopped and thrashed, trying desperately to dislodge the taiyoukai's hold on him, but Sesshomaru just snarled and squeezed harder, beginning to cut off the snake's air supply and sink his fangs into the flesh, putting pressure on Ken'ichi's spine.

The serpent became utterly desperate when his air pipe closed twisted impossibly hard and fast, smashing his tail and body into the parts of the dog he could reach, but Sesshomaru just held on and slammed his nose into the ground, pounding the demon brutally, dark blood spurting everywhere.

Kagome looked up in time to see Sesshomaru shake his head wildly, snapping the snake from side to side, blood gushed all over anything that had the misfortune to be somewhere nearby. A triumphant gleam entered the ember eyes as with one final toss of his head and clenching of his jaw the dog finally managed to snap the spine of the snake between his jaws with a massive and very sickeningly loud snapping sound. Dropping his enormous paws on the thick black body of his now deceased enemy, he yanked hard over and over again until Ken'ichi's head finally came completely off with a sickening ripping and sucking sound.

The head crashed to the ground, heralding the victory of the west. Slowly, the south lost morale and was beaten back, sounding retreat as the west ran after their adversaries with whoops of triumph, cutting down any that remained alive and chasing down the others still able to run.

Kagome still sat astride Fubuki, both of whom were covered completely in demon blood, Kagome's arms and clothes were dripping and Fubuki's normally pristine white fur was matted and a sickening dark red color, turning to brown in places where it had begun to dry. Kagome felt sticky and crusty, the smell was nauseating and she tried hard not to look down at the carnage all around her, not wanting to see any more body parts lying about missing their owners.

Fubuki padded silently and gently toward the edge of the field, trying to take the dazed little miko out of the worst of the gore. This was when the massive dog across the field spotted them. Sesshomaru glared down at the miko, just then realizing exactly what it was she was _riding._ He remembered Kagome telling him long ago that her sword, the same one who had foolishly appeared in that field so many years ago, had a massive white panther form. Sesshomaru simply stared down his bloody nose at the couple making their way toward him, his outward appearance gave nothing away, but inwardly he felt an unfamiliar twist in his gut. Ice blue eyes met demonic red in a silent challenge.

Finally Kagome's dazed eyes traveled up the length of a bloodstained and very filthy dog leg to his face and started back at the angry look that smoldered in the ember depths as he regarded their approach.

With a small whirlwind and a surge of power, Sesshomaru shifted back to his normal form, his eyes still holding hers across the short expanse of battlefield between them. The cold voice cut through the air, making Kagome shiver and wonder briefly what had happened that she had missed when he finally spoke.

"Miko, since you have your own mode of travel, you will follow my troops back to my lands. Once there you will be given a room and when I call for you, you will inform me of the reason behind your presence here," Kagome wanted to scream, slap him, kick him in the shins, cry, anything, but instead she sat there dumbfounded, her mouth hanging slightly open as the demon she had yearned for all those long years turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her to travel alone with his troops, who had already begun to sneer at the miko's presence and treat her like the filth they thought she was.

Not one of them admitted that she had released controlled attacks that had literally changed the tide of the battle or that she was a powerful miko. Whispered, _ningen, slut, worthless, disgusting, _and other such insults floated to her ears as Fubuki looked over his shoulder at her, his icy eyes full of sympathy. The pair fell into step with the tired troops, though off to the side and keeping their distance, not wishing to upset the already disgusted and wary soldiers.

Kagome held her chin up, keeping her guarded blue eyes straight forward, not wanting any of them to see a weakness in her, though Fubuki could feel the slight trembling of the little hands fisted in his fur and the sadness and frustration tainting her normally pure aura. Fubuki's thoughts rolled over the past few years with his miko, a small smile forming in his mind at the times they had shared. He had gotten over his initial crush on her and his jealousy at how close she had been to the demon lord. The elemental had been her best friend and confidante through the dark times in her life when she was missing the stoic demon so badly it hurt, and he hated to see her hurting now _because_ of the man she had missed so much. The two had become more brotherly and sisterly, more importantly, they were comrades in arms, but there was no way Sesshomaru could know that.

A stray demon broke away from the group and sidled up next to the pair, preparing to taunt the filthy human female who dressed so inappropriately, but a sidelong glance from those icy eyes, a baring of forearm length fangs and a soft snarl and the demon decided it was safer back with the rest of his group.

Kagome rode in silence, not even communicating mentally with her friend who was met with mental blocks when he tried to comfort her. She did not want to be disturbed. The poor miko's mind was a whirl of confused thoughts and hurt feelings. What had she done to make Sesshomaru so angry with her? He had seemed relieved and protective when she'd first shown up, but then at the end of the battle he had regarded her coldly, as if she had betrayed him or something. Kagome wanted nothing more than to let tears flow freely down her cheeks but she would never reveal weakness in front of so many demons under the stoic lord's command. She was a proud miko of considerable power and skill, unlike when she'd last been to the feudal era and she would command respect. Of course, she knew this meant _earning_ that respect, or more likely beating it into the demons in her presence, but she couldn't start that process by crying in front of them. She would be strong and would cry in the dead of night when only Fubuki would be witness to it.

Patting his shoulder in reassurance and apology, she saw his head bob slightly before she continued staring straight ahead, wondering what was in store for her when they arrived at the home of the western lord.

Sesshomaru currently was walking at the head of the army, leading them home in victory. He had considered taking his cloud of youki home instead of walking, but he wanted to make a good face for his men and instead, ignored his injuries like the others trudging behind him and took his place at the front of the group.

Extending his senses, he could feel his miko about halfway back behind him, riding alongside the group on her confounded sword. At first he felt little to nothing from her, the aura she was projecting was one of confidence and neutrality, though as he probed further, using his knowledge of the girl he felt tendrils of confusion and sadness tainting the aura she was hiding behind. _So the girl has learned to mask her true aura to hide her feelings? Interesting. She has grown immeasurably in power then. When last I saw her she was barely able to control her aura enough to refrain from burning this Sesshomaru. _

The tendrils of sadness he was feeling made his gut twist in a feeling he had long ago identified as guilt. Why? Kami's damnit! He had been fine before she had shown up! His rule had been established and though he thought of her frequently, he experienced none of those stupid weird emotions he always felt when around her. Even after twenty years, she pops up and BAM, all the old feelings surface and threaten to confuse him and disintegrate his carefully groomed self control.

He wanted nothing more than to turn on his heel, return to her side, scoop her into his arms and carry her away to his home and do what it took to make her happy and the sadness he felt in her go away. Gritting his teeth slightly in annoyance, he snapped his youki back forward again and pointedly ignored the little miko. Once they were back at the palace, he would distance himself completely until he had a chance to get himself back under control. Then he would interrogate her and find out what she was doing here and find a way to send her home.

Immediately his beast roared in protest and clawed at him inside his chest. Disturbingly his beast had been making a kind of purring feeling in ever since the distracting woman had first shown up and was now protesting greatly at the thought of losing her again. Growling at it internally, he tried to shove it back down and silence it, but the beast was too persistent. It had been denied for so long the one thing it ever really wanted and was not about to give up now.

Deciding that beating the living daylights out of himself in his dojo when he returned home was in order so that he would tire the stupid beast out and then be back in control of himself, he simply fell silent and walked along in front of his army, outwardly nothing of his internal struggle showed in his actions or facial features. To an outside observer, he looked bored.

Kagome gasped in delight despite herself and her current state of depression when she first caught sight of Sesshomaru's castle. It was absolutely breathtaking. The palace was a traditional Japanese castle complete with a courtyard and gardens off to one side. The walls surrounding the castle were tall and strong and the gardens that were just visible around one corner of the building were absolutely beautiful. The castle itself was a few stories tall with traditional slanted roofs, but what made it breathtaking were the vines that grew all along the walls, creating a soft, green appearance.

Entering the gates still riding Fubuki Kagome glanced all around her in wonder, ignoring the insults and disgusted looks she was receiving at being allowed in their lord's castle. Eventually her eyes fell on the lord himself. Sesshomaru stood quite a distance away, still coated in the blood from his victory, most of his wounds having healed themselves during the march, but what made her stop cold was his eyes.

Gone completely was the warmth she had worked so hard long ago to bring out in the beautiful amber orbs and it was replaced by a coldness that rivaled that of Fubuki's blade during her Kaze no koori. His look dared her to even try speaking to him before turning away and speaking softly to a servant and then disappearing into the enormous building that was his home. The servant disappeared as Kagome slipped off Fubuki's back and stood at his side, one hand still fisted comfortingly in his fur, wondering what was going to happen to them.

Just then a female demon servant came scurrying out of the palace and right up to Kagome. The little miko saw a look of barely concealed amazement and disdain before bowing low and telling the girl to follow her to her assigned rooms. Kagome nodded mutely and followed behind the female demon with Fubuki padding lightly at her side. Neither bothered returning him to his sword form because both knew that she was in desperate need of his comforting presence at her side.

The servant gave Fubuki a disdainful and appraising look before leading them inside the huge doors to the castle. Fubuki simply regarded her back coolly and she made the wise choice not to say anything about leading a huge cat into her lord's castle. Stranger things had happened.

Kagome followed behind the servant with her head held high, though she was beginning to get a little worried. The demon was taking them through a maze of hallways and the miko was absolutely sure she was thoroughly lost and would never find her way around. Just as she was beginning to think the woman was just leading them around in circles she abruptly stopped in front of a set of doors that were painted beautifully with a Japanese mountain range and bamboo shoots.

"My lord has ordered that you reside here and that you will not leave your room or wander around the castle unless with an attendant," she bowed mockingly low before disappearing around a corner before the miko could retort, not that she really had much to say. With a sigh, she slid the door open and slipped into her new quarters with Fubuki right behind her.

The room was truly beautiful. It was rather large with a good sized and comfortable looking futon against one wall decorated in deep blues. The whole room had a blue theme, which was unusual for an ancient oriental room's furnishings, but she shrugged at the thought. Sesshomaru was obviously very well to do and it wouldn't seem too farfetched that his home be furnished with the best. Crossing the room she flung open the sliding doors that opened onto a beautiful balcony. Gasping in happiness, Kagome was thrilled to see that her balcony overlooked the beautiful gardens she had seen before. Now, although it appeared she was a prisoner in her room she would still get to enjoy the amazing gardens at least a little.

Turning back into the room she noticed that Fubuki had his nose shoved in a partially opened door on the opposite side of the room as the futon.

"What'd you find, Fubuki?" the cat simply whuffed weirdly and shoved his head further into what appeared to be a closet. Rolling her eyes slightly, she made her way over to the enormous cat with its head completely out of sight and threw open the doors, her eyes widening in amazement at what she saw. Behind the doors was an enormous closet that was completely stocked full of beautiful and extremely expensive looking kimonos. Kagome's fingers trailed longingly over the fabric of the closest sleeve discovering that it was indeed pure silk.

"I can't wear these," she stated to no one in particular and Fubuki gave her an annoyed look and bumped her with his head.

_Of course you can! Why wouldn't you be able to wear those? They would fit you nicely. _

Kagome glanced down at her best friend before looking back at the garments.

"These are far too nice for someone like me to wear, I wouldn't want to sully them," she said sadly. Fubuki was starting to become really aggravated by her attitude. _That damn Sesshomaru! Doesn't he realize what he's doing to her? Because of how he's treated her she doesn't think she's good enough to wear the clothes._

Fubuki whuffed again and glared up at her.

"Don't look at me like that! Plus you know they are horribly uncomfortable, I would die wearing these," she said giving him a sidelong look.

_That may be, however you cannot wear what you have on either. It took me quite some time to become accustomed to your style of dress and I'm positive it will not be tolerated here._

Kagome nodded with a sigh.

"Of course, you're right," with a frown she stared at the garments again. Just then a knock sounded at the door and they both looked at each other in confusion before Kagome responded.

"Yes? Come in," the door slid open revealing a very nervous looking young woman who entered, closing the door behind her before bowing low at the waist and holding a bundle of fabric out to the confused miko.

"My lady, his lordship informed me that my new position would be as your handmaiden and that since you are a miko you would prefer the garb fitting your station," Kagome and Fubuki looked at each other with wide eyes making the girl shift uncomfortably. Of course the young demon had heard of humans and lower demon animals forming bonds, but this one seemed a little too strong.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Kagome couldn't help exclaiming much to the surprise of the poor nervous woman, "you have no idea how much I was fretting over the fact that I might have had to wear a constricting kimono!" the little miko beamed up at the servant completely baffling her further.

"Oh, well then, perhaps we should get you changed?" she asked tentatively, realization dawning on her that her new mistress might not be as bad as she had originally thought. She had always considered human women to be snobby and cruel, acting like they were higher than their actual station with no character to back themselves up.

"Oh!" Kagome suddenly exclaimed, "I've been so rude! Gomen! I am Higurashi Kagome," she said bowing low at the waist, "what is your name?" The young demon was highly taken aback and shaken up by this. She was not expecting the girl to introduce herself, let alone act as if her mere servant was on her own level by bowing to her.

"Oh, my lady! I am but a servant! You shouldn't bow to me," she was starting to get nervous, but Kagome waved it off as if she was talking nonsense.

"I have no need of a servant, but I'm in great need of a friend," the human woman said with a grin, "and come to think of it, you probably _will_ need to dress me a little because I'm hopeless when it comes to this type of clothing! However," the demon woman winced, "I still need to know your name!"

"My name is Akiko, my lady," she said hesitantly. Kagome squealed in delight nearly scaring the poor servant half to death and earning an annoyed look from Fubuki.

"Akiko! How beautiful! It suits you perfectly!" and it was true, Akiko means "autumn child" and she had waist length auburn hair with deep soulful dark red eyes. She had one single brown stripe on each cheek and her skin was a beautiful tan color. "If you don't mind my asking, what kind of demon are you?" Akiko shifted nervously from foot to foot, no mistress she'd ever served had acted this way. What was wrong with her?

"I am a tiger demon, mistress," Kagome nodded to herself as if that made sense.

"Please, don't call me 'mistress' or 'my lady,' Kagome is fine, or if you must Kagome-san, though I much prefer Kagome-chan," this was too much for the poor demon and she couldn't hold her curiosity in any longer.

"My la… Kagome…-sama… why do you act this way? You treat me as if I am an equal and you insist I call you by your given name. Why? You are a miko of known power, you deserve to be called by your title and given respect," as if realizing what she'd blurted out, she fell on her face on the floor in a groveling bow, "forgive me my lady! I have been too forward!" Kagome watched the woman in confused fascination.

"Akiko, I don't want a servant or someone who will grovel before me. I am just a human woman. You are probably much older than I am and would actually therefore be my senior. I have done nothing that commands respect, nor would I take it if I had," Akiko looked up at the young woman in confusion. Kagome sighed deeply and crawled forward, pulling the woman up into a sitting position and smiling at her.

"You must understand, I do not wish for you to treat me like I'm better than you, because in all honesty, I'm not. Just because you weren't born a noble doesn't mean I have the right to treat you like trash," Kagome wanted to giggle at the look on the woman's' face that flickered from pure amazement to horror and back again. Dragging the female demon to her feet she let out a small laugh.

"Well, Akiko, as much as I would like to continue discussing this at length, I really would prefer to do it while getting clean and dressed in some non-bloody and non-stinky clothes!" Akiko blushed deeply, having completely forgotten her lady's obvious state of dirtiness.

"Oh! Lady Kagome! I apologize!" Kagome's firm hand on the girl's arm kept her from dropping to the floor face down, "I was not attentive to your needs…" she was about to tell her new mistress that she would take whatever punishment she saw fit, but Kagome was already waving her apologies away.

"Nonsense, I'm the one who distracted you, but if I may ask, is there a hot spring somewhere around? I'm in great need of a good soak!" Akiko nodded, quickly gathering up bathing supplies, clean clothing and cloth to dry with before silently leading the girl from her room, Fubuki padded silently alongside the girl.

_She is so strange!_ Akiko couldn't help thinking. _She actually considers me an equal! I would have been beaten numerous times now for the way I've acted if she were any other noble lady. Maybe this is why his lordship requested me for this position. I thought it unusual that he would request me by name, I had thought that maybe I had done something wrong…_she glanced back at the young miko who was oblivious to the thoughts of her new handmaiden and was gazing around her in fascination. _But now I see that perhaps he chose me because I am best suited to her, the other handmaidens are rather close mouthed and stoic. _Mulling over her thoughts, she reached the hot springs and swiped them away for later before sliding the door open for her new lady.

Kagome's squeal of delight had both Fubuki and Akiko wanting to cover their ears as the miko rushed past them both and into the beautiful room. The bathhouse was simply built around a natural hot spring and was decorated in the most attractive wood colors. Akiko was about to protest about Fubuki's presence when he padded past her and she was almost positive she saw him wink at her, silencing any objections she may have had. The white cat meandered to the side of the spring while Kagome poked and sniffed at the bottles lining one shelf before he lay down languorously next to the pool. His amused eyes met Akiko's for a moment before he disappeared in a puff of white smoke and was replaced by a beautiful white katana lying within reach of the pool.

"L-lady Kagome… your cat… he… what's…?" Kagome looked up at the female servant and then her eyes fell on the katana. A grin broke her features and she waved dismissively at the sword.

"Oh, Fubuki knows better than to try and be present when I bathe. He made that mistake once and it's one he'll never forget. He can't actually see anything when he's in katana form unless I touch him, but then he only can see what I can see," Kagome picked out a scent she liked from the wall as Akiko stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Lady Kagome, shall I wash your hair for you?" she asked hopefully.

"Naw, I'm not used to people doing things for me, but I'd like very much if you would keep me company," Kagome noticed the crestfallen look on the girl's face and decided there was nothing for it. "Oh, alright, you may wash my hair." Akiko's face brightened and she removed her socks and sandals, bunched up her servants robes and waded into the hot spring.

The whole time Akiko worked on her hair and helped her bathe and wash the blood and grime from her body Kagome drilled her on her background and her family and how she had come to work for Sesshomaru. It turned out that her family had originally meant to give her away as a present to one of the nobles under the taiyoukai's command, but last minute they discovered that the noble was treacherous and had betrayed Sesshomaru. The western lord had struck the noble down and since the woman now had nowhere to go, he agreed that she could take a place as a handmaiden in his household.

Kagome oozed all over her about how awful that was and how could her family do something like that to their daughter. Akiko merely shrugged and told her that this was the way things were in the world.

Briefly Kagome outlined her own experiences in the feudal era, leaving out any details regarding the future and a few other choice details, but she told the woman about her travels with Sesshomaru's half brother and her first meeting with the taiyoukai. The little miko laughed at the woman's expression.

"You know, if your eyes go any wider they will fall out of your head," Kagome teased. Akiko blinked and blushed deeply.

"My lady! You stood up to his lordship and _lived!_" Kagome giggled and placed a damp hand on Akiko's forearm.

"It's not the only time I've done it either!" Akiko nearly fell over much to Kagome's amusement. The rest of her bath consisted of comfortable chatter, through which Kagome learned from Akiko how she would be expected to dress and act. Sesshomaru had outlined for her that she would eat in the dining hall, and would have access to the gardens, but would not be allowed to do anything without Akiko by her side. Kagome stiffened slightly at her complete loss of freedom, but seeing as she couldn't really do anything about it, and it was obviously safer for her with demons walking around who hated her guts, she acquiesced grudgingly. At least she had someone to talk to that was at least somewhat interesting, she thought.


	22. Chapter 22

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

I just have to say, you guys are awesome! All the reviews I got expressing your concern for my health and telling me not to stress or overwork myself... you almost had me in tears! I felt so appreciated and cared for! I think I will take your all's advice and cut back my submission time. From now on, I will be submitting every tuesday and every friday. Since tomorrow is a tuesday I won't submit then, so my next submission will be July 7th. Hopefully the extra time will help me write some longer and more indepth chapters.

Anyways, thank you all again! Enjoy!

Chapter 22

Kagome did as she was asked to, for a while at least. She wore clothing appropriate to her station, she let Akiko chauffeur her everywhere, she ate when she was told to, she studied in the library for a way to get back home, and she even practiced her swordsmanship in the dojo with an ever watchful and very impressed Akiko. It turned out Akiko was also asked to become Kagome's handmaiden because she was a very skilled bodyguard, though you'd never know it by looking at her or by her demeanor.

A week passed, Kagome grew restless. Two weeks passed, Kagome became pissed. She had seen neither hide nor hair of the stupid stoic demon and she was beginning to become really angry. All of her days were the same, wake up, get dressed, eat, practice in the dojo, bathe, study in the library, eat, go to sleep. Nothing changed, she wasn't allowed outside the palace, she wasn't allowed out of Akiko's sight. Kagome loved the girl, they had become close friends in the two weeks they'd spent together, but Kagome was on her last thread of sanity.

The little miko considered trying to escape, but she figured that was no good. The youkai residing in the castle were trained warriors and trackers, she wouldn't get far. Finally, at the beginning of week three Kagome decided she'd had enough. Sesshomaru was ignoring her purposefully and she was tired of it. Pride and nobility be damned! He would not ignore her like this!

Akiko knew something was wrong with her lady and new friend when she got up that morning with a look of determination on her face. She knew enough about Kagome now to know that was a dangerous look for the girl to be sporting, especially so early in the morning.

Kagome got up, got dressed in silence, further worrying Akiko, then stalked out into the hallway and stopped. The servant watched in amazement as the miko closed her eyes and began to glow, holding out her hands in front of her as if she were feeling her way through a dark room.

_Ah! There he is. _Kagome's miko senses dropped and she stalked off in the direction she had felt his aura coming from. Akiko yipped worriedly before following after her lady.

"Kagome-san! You're not allowed to go that way!" she said, worrying her hands in front of her, "Sesshomaru-sama said expressly…"

"I don't give a flying hoot WHAT Sesshomaru-SAMA said!" she almost snarled back and continued stalking down the hall. Akiko looked at Fubuki pleadingly but received only a helpless look in return. Fubuki knew better than to try and dissuade the stubborn miko when she was in a mood like this.

Sesshomaru was in his study going over some land treaties when he had felt her aura flare. His intention was to make her at the end of her patience and willing to do whatever he wanted her to do out of desperation to dispel the sheer boredom he was subjecting her to. However, twenty years must have dulled his memory of exactly how she would probably react to two weeks of being ignored.

Sesshomaru's eyes slid up from his paperwork as his screen slammed open and a very angry and rather disturbingly pink glowing miko stomped into his study. Sighing silently he put down the paper he had been trying in vain to read and focused on the miko.

"You really should learn not to sound like an elephant on a rampage, I am sure you disturbed the entire castle just now," he said in his best cold and haughty voice.

"Good, then they can all be witness to this," Kagome crossed the room just as Akiko and Fubuki showed up in the door way. To everyone's, including Sesshomaru's astonishment, she leaned over, planted one hand on his desk and punched him square in the chest. Of course, Sesshomaru had seen it coming, though he hadn't bothered to stop it, hoping to embarrass the miko into submission. It was to his great surprise then to find himself thrown backward with enough force to go clear through the wall and finally bring his feet underneath him to land somewhere in the grassy courtyard behind the palace.

Kagome stalked through the broken wall to stand at the edge looking down at him while Akiko nearly had a heart attack and Fubuki was inwardly chuckling and happy that someone else was now the object of her fury.

To say Kagome was furious would be a gross understatement. The miko was beyond furious, she was livid and now she was going to take it all out on a certain taiyoukai who was very deserving of being taken down a few notches.

Just then, a host of guards came barging into what was left of their lord's office and stared in awe and horror at the hole in the wall behind the youkai's desk and the miko standing, glowing a flaming pink, glaring in a most undignified manner at the lord of the western lands, who was still crouched outside.

A few of the guards moved forward to restrain the little miko and too late saw the error of their ways. The small human turned just before they grabbed her and glared up at them with a look that could rival Sesshomaru on a bad day. The moment their hands touched her the aura flared impossibly bright and both guards went flying in opposite directions, each crashing to a stop against a wall and knocking various items all over the room.

"Touch me again and I'll purify your asses straight _past_ the Kami's and into OBLIVION!" Kagome snarled at the guards in an amazing imitation of an enraged female demon. The other guards wisely hung back looking to their lord for guidance, though he just seemed to be regarding the woman coolly. Akiko looked down aghast at Fubuki who seemed to be emitting a sound equivalent to a chuckle, though it sounded similar to a higher pitched cat whine.

Kagome whirled back around to face Sesshomaru before leaping down to the grass and pointing a slender finger at the taiyoukai.

"You! I still have business with you!" she yelled at him and was rewarded with a slight raising of one white eyebrow. "You think that ignoring me and treating me like the dirt under your feet will boost your ego any? Or could it be," she started stalking toward the still crouching demon, "that the _great lord_ Sesshomaru is AFRAID of one tiny miko? So afraid that he shuts her away for two weeks and refuses to speak to or see her?" before she had finished speaking she saw a streak of white and prepared herself just before she was lifted off the ground forcefully by the front of her miko hakama.

Throwing her hands upward, she didn't give him a chance to speak, pink light flared blindingly bright and Sesshomaru yanked his hand back with a snarl, the skin of his entire right palm and a distance up his forearm was burned considerably, small welts showing up on the pads of his hands.

Kagome landed slightly jarringly on her feet due to falling a short distance, but managed to regain her balance and glare up at the demon who was giving her a death glare.

"I will not be treated this way! I am a miko of great reputation and even YOU, Sesshomaru-SAMA will treat me with respect!" she growled at him. Sesshomaru snarled and leapt at her, his beast demanding he force his dominance on her, but every time he managed to touch her or get close to her, she would burn him with that ridiculously strong miko aura. Both his hands were now extremely burnt, but he wasn't about to give in, not when his guards were watching and expecting him to prevail.

To his astonishment they were watching the miko in a manner that would only be called awe and he couldn't help but agree with them. The girl had become extremely fast for a human and her miko powers had grown immeasurably, though he could feel her beginning to weaken from the massive use of power for such an extended period of time. Slowly he continued his assault, hitting and pummeling her even though it burned him, using up her remaining miko energy purposefully and beating her back until he had her up against the side of the building.

Kagome was beginning to weaken and she knew it, she also knew she would have some nasty bruises for quite some time, but she couldn't let the stupid youkai do what he wanted. She had to make a statement. Using one last burst of miko power she threw him off by ignoring another punch to her shoulder and instead of blocking throwing both hands into his chest. His eyes grew almost unnoticeably wider for a split second, comprehension setting in before a blast five times that which threw him through his study wall slammed into his chest.

Sesshomaru felt like his lungs were burning and his skin was searing away. He had no idea she had become this powerful. The force of the blast threw him back and into the outer wall of the palace, leaving a nice dent from his body's impact. Once the momentum left his body and was displaced into the wall behind him he regained his feet and mentally assessed the damage. Nothing seemed missing or burnt off, chest stung like crazy and without looking he was sure there were welts and most of the top of his hakama was gone. Pretty much any skin from his collarbones down to his belly button and down the fronts of his arms to his hands was sore and blistered, the normally perfect skin now an angry red.

Lifting his eyes he saw that Kagome had collapsed to her knees, her head hanging low, bangs covering her eyes and she was breathing hard. Silently Fubuki leapt down with catlike grace and stepped between Kagome and the fuming demon, deciding for himself that she had had enough, his ice blue eyes clashing mightily with smoldering amber ones. Sesshomaru felt that twist in his gut that he refused to admit was jealousy as he straightened, acting oblivious to his wounds.

"So, he has taken to remaining in physical form instead of at your side?" Sesshomaru said, the disgust obvious in his voice as his eyes shot past the defensive cat to the woman behind him, his glare boring into her. Kagome looked up in confusion.

"It takes little to almost no energy for him to reside in cat form, unlike his human form, so he prefers to stay this way. He feels he is better able to defend me like this," she explained, though she wasn't sure why she was defending herself to the annoying youkai. It wasn't like he deserved an explanation. With a wave of his hand he dismissed his guards, not wishing them to overhear his conversation with the infuriating woman, although he was sure they would anyway.

"Well, it sounds like the two of you are happy together," he said very uncharacteristically, it wasn't like him to banter insults back and forth with his lesser. Actually, it was unheard of for him. Even to his own mind he sounded jealous and inwardly he cringed, wishing he could take the words back.

Kagome had the oddest look plastered on her face, the discoloration beginning to show up on one cheek and her neck only making her look odder, but what really threw the taiyoukai was the look on Fubuki's face. The panther's ice colored eyes were as big as saucers and his face looked elongated for a moment before the stupid sword actually fell over, his eyes squeezed tightly shut and began rolling around on his back, clutching his paws to himself and emitting a high pitched wheezing sound that was very suspiciously much like laughter.

Kagome looked down at the rolling cat in as much confusion as the youkai across the yard before she finally caught on and started to chuckle herself. Sesshomaru was beginning to get very aggravated and Kagome hurriedly explained.

"Sesshomaru, there is no relationship at all between Fubuki and I. We're best friends and that's about it. He's laughing because he's remembering the one time he actually did try to hit on me, sometime shortly after you disappeared," Sesshomaru cocked one eyebrow up and she continued. "Fubuki and I were working on my miko powers and he requested to be allowed to be in human form. I thought nothing of it, but halfway through practice, he decided he wanted to try and kiss me. I think he got thrown twice the distance that you did a moment ago!" Fubuki stopped his rolling and looked up at Sesshomaru with a somber nod and rubbed his chest lightly with one large paw as if remembering how much it had hurt.

Sesshomaru's beast relaxed slightly having heard their story and detecting no lies, though it was still grumbling about the fact that the sword had tried to kiss his miko. As he watched her, her eyes glazed over slightly in memory and he began to realize how much of her life he had missed. He wasn't sure how much time had passed for her, but she looked much older than she had the last time he had seen her. The girlish softness to her face and figure had faded and were replaced by a woman's well shaped features and womanly but strong looking curves. Her raven hair now hung down almost past her hips and she now had a look and a presence of having gained even more knowledge than before. She didn't look old, quite the contrary, she simply looked more developed than before.

All in all she was breathtaking, which was part of the reason he had been avoiding her so astutely. Her scent hadn't changed any and was just as sweet and clean as before, his nostrils filling with sakura blossoms and spring water with each breath. However, all this meant was that he was going to keep her as far from himself as possible because a human woman was a weakness he could not afford with the aftermath of a war on his hands.

"I still didn't beat you, did I?" her voice brought him out of his musings to focus on the girl collapsed on the grass a short distance away. As she was regarding him, he realized that her eyes had changed slightly too. The look of complete loving trust was gone from them and though they still looked open and friendly, there was a guarded twinkle to them that he couldn't help but notice.

"No, though you are not unconscious this time, so it is a minor improvement," Kagome snorted in a very unladylike manner and chuckled a little. For Sesshomaru, that was quite the compliment. The way he was standing, you wouldn't think he had his shirt pretty much disintegrated off and that he had massive burn marks all over his chest, arms and hands and some pretty nasty welts and blisters to top it all off. He stood as he always does, tall, regal, uncaring and cold.

Kagome shook her head as she struggled to her feet with Fubuki's help. She wasn't sure what she had done to make Sesshomaru no longer care about her, but somehow in the time she was separated from him all the work she had done to become friends was now undone. He was back to being his normal cold self and the little miko didn't know if she had the energy or the heart to try and win him back. Losing him once broke her heart, the thought of working for it again and possibly losing it twice was crippling for her.

The taiyoukai most prevalent in her thoughts was regarding her thoughtfully as well. In all honesty, he wanted nothing more than to regain what he'd had with her before, but he couldn't do that here. It was all fine for things of that nature in the future where there was no danger, but here he had just finished a war and might be on the verge of another. There is also the small fact that every youkai with the sole exception of Akiko absolutely hates her. If anyone found out that he was considering her as a mate, he was sure his subjects would not go against him, however ever other youkai in Japan _would_.

Wait, _considering? No, CONSIDERED, past tense. There is no considering now. This Sesshomaru's mind is made up. _After a few moments of standing there he realized they were both still outside in full view of anyone who wished to see them.

"Miko, as much as I'm sure we both enjoy the outside air, this conversation should be taken inside," Kagome glared up at him in annoyance of his use of 'miko' and not her name.

"Well, when you decide to remember that you have a brain and actually use it to remember that I have a _name_ then we will adjourn to a place indoors," she said haughtily. Sesshomaru felt like grinding his teeth.

"I will call you what I wish to call you and you will come inside when I wish you to," he replied back coolly, but Kagome saw right through him. She'd aggravated him.

"Then I will also call you what _I_ wish to call you, youkai, and as for when I'm going inside, well that all depends on when I wish to," she shot back, lifting her chin defiantly. "I am not a part of your _pack_," she said using a term she knew dog demons used for family, "I am not in your employ nor am I a member of your domain. I am a free miko who is a guest in your household," her eyes twinkled with challenge and Sesshomaru was forced once again to restrain a howling beast who wanted to take the stupid woman. Truly, you'd think she would have learned.

Kagome knew she was pushing Sesshomaru on this, but she was not about to be cowed when she wasn't even there by choice. Suddenly she saw the golden orbs staring into her own blue ones darken slightly and she knew she was in trouble.

_A brute… she's turning me into a brute,_ he thought despairingly as he strode over to the exhausted miko. Ignoring Fubuki's warning growls and the little miko's protests he grabbed her by the waist with one arm, letting her dangle down his side, oblivious to her kicking and yelling and leapt back into the broken wall of his study. Dropping her none too gently on a cushion, he returned to his seat behind his desk and pointedly ignored the death glares being sent his way.

"Now, miko, since you decided to come in on your own to discuss things with this Sesshomaru, then we will now talk about why you are here," he said, still ignoring the fuming woman and obviously amused Fubuki sitting next to her. Crossing her arms over her well formed bosom, she glared at him for a moment longer before answering with a sigh.

"Honestly, I have no idea how I got here," Sesshomaru raised one eyebrow and she continued, "all I know is that I was studying a shrine in…" Sesshomaru raised a finger as if to tell her to keep certain details about her origins to herself since he knew others might be listening, "…my home village and …. And I was… Sesshomaru, can we talk about this somewhere else?" she asked pleadingly. If there were others listening that he didn't want to have hear facts about her or himself then they really couldn't talk about what had happened until it was safe.

Thinking for a moment, he rose with a nod and gestured for her to follow him. Rising curiously she fell into step behind him as he left his office and traveled through the palace, finally exiting the side door and into the gardens. Kagome studied his back as they walked, the silk remains of his hakama hanging off one shoulder in blackened tatters and wondering in amusement how he could still act so lordly while looking so ridiculous. Though she couldn't help but admire the finely muscled plains of his back. Deciding that was a terribly bad train of thought she turned from her study of his sexy, muscled behind and looked all around her.

They walked in silence through the gardens for quite some distance and Kagome couldn't help but stare in awe at how large they actually were. Akiko had never let her wander this deep into the beautiful foliage before and Kagome was secretly happy to be allowed this far.

Suddenly Sesshomaru stopped before what appeared to be a small alcove in the trees and flowers, though she felt an odd sort of humming to the place. Had she been at full power she probably could have determined where it was coming from. A moment later it was revealed to her because Sesshomaru walked straight up to what appeared to be nothing and put his hand out. A moment later solid rock appeared with a demon rune etched right in the center where his hand was. Pushing lightly, he rolled the stone to the side and gestured her inside before stepping in himself and closing it behind them.

"The rock will disappear to the normal eye outside once it's closed and no one is capable of opening it save a member of the Taisho family," he explained. Kagome nodded in wonder as he led her down what appeared to be a short cave before it opened up into a cavern and her breath hitched in her throat. The room was large; light filtered in through a hole in the ceiling and was tinted by brightly colored flowers growing in the crevasse. In the very center of the floor was a large hot spring with natural sitting places carved into the rock all around it. Along the walls were enormous bookcases, a desk, a futon and a few other living amenities. It was obvious that it had been used frequently in the past, although it looked as if no one had been there for quite a little while.

Sesshomaru gestured to a cushion in front of the desk and then settled himself behind it. Kagome sat down and gestured Fubuki over. Immediately he obeyed and put his forehead against her outstretched palm. A moment later white wispy smoke appeared all around the cat and instantly he reverted back to a katana and was gripped in the miko's still outstretched hand. Sliding him into her belt, she turned back to find Sesshomaru regarding her with an unreadable look in his eyes.

"He cannot hear us in katana form?" he asked guessing correctly her motives for changing him back.

"No, he cannot. He can feel what I'm feeling and if I'm not careful he can hear projected thoughts, but otherwise he cannot hear and cannot see." Sesshomaru nodded in approval. Sighing slightly, she turned soulful blue eyes on the taiyoukai.

"What happened after you disappeared? Where did you end up?" she asked tentatively. Sesshomaru stared at a spot on his desk.

"The power of the shikon returned me to this side of portal. I appeared in my brother's forest right beside the well," Kagome nodded. "Before I get into what happened here, I want you to tell me as best you can what is going on," Kagome gave him an annoyed look and he shrugged elegantly, "you owe it to me for attempting to embarrass me in front of my guards," he said coolly. Kagome sweat dropped, at least he was being more personable now.

"Ok fine. Well, you know the part about the well closing up. After that, I simply went back to school and eventually graduated and moved on to college," at his confused look she explained, "remember how adults go to a different school than younger people?" Sesshomaru nodded. "Well, I got into a prestigious college and continued my education, but I studied history and archaeology. Archaeology is the study of old artifacts and the learning of how to find them as well." Sesshomaru nodded, though inwardly he thought it a rather pointless career.

"Anyway, during my studies, I looked for signs of what might have happened…" she paused uncomfortably, "to you." A small blush formed on her cheeks but she kept going, not looking up at the demon. "You had wanted to know if you lived or died and what would happen to the western lands, so I decided to look into history and study artifacts and see what I could find. So far, nothing turned up, after four years of study…" Sesshomaru cut in smoothly.

"Four years?" he asked, "how long has it been since I disappeared from your time?" Kagome looked up then.

"It's been six years for me. Two to finish up high school and four in college," Sesshomaru was amazed that she had continued her education all that time. No wonder she seemed wiser than before. "Why? How long has it been since you returned?" she asked quietly.

"Twenty two years," he responded and Kagome gasped.

"I guess since the time was no longer connected by the well that they moved independently of each other," Kagome tapped her chin with one finger, deep in thought. Her bottom lip was sucked between her teeth and she absently chewed on it, oblivious to the demon who was trying hard to ignore the tantalizing sight.

"Continue with your story," he interrupted her, bringing her back and making her cease nibbling on her lip so distractingly.

"Oh! Right, so I've been studying the history of Japan right around this era, but haven't found a whole lot. All I can determine is that there were a few big wars around this point in history and that shortly after this time was when demon's existence in this world was either eradicated or they went into hiding. History is rather incomplete on that point.

"So it was along those lines of study that my teacher had given me my final report subject for class. I was to go out to the area that used to be the border between the southern and western lands and study the shrine left there. Apparently, the shrine monument was erected there because that was the spot where something occurred to turn the tide of the battle…" she suddenly trailed off before her eyes went wide and she looked up at the demon who was watching her from his vantage point across the desk.

"Me! It was a shrine set where I appeared! I'm the reason the shrine is there! Were you winning the battle before I arrived?" she asked curiously and Sesshomaru's eyes darkened slightly.

"Unfortunately, no. It turned out that the southern lord had gathered more troops than we had known about and we were slowly losing the battle. It makes sense that your showing up turned the tide of the battle, considering your attacks took out whole ranks of their men. There is also the fact that you happened to show up right in the thick of the enemy," he added grudgingly. Kagome nodded, deep in thought.

"I remember I had driven out to the shrine and I walked around the shrine house a little before heading inside. It was rather ramshackle and forgotten, so I had to pick my way through the building to actually get to the monument stone. Apparently it had been taken down at some point by some monks, so some of the runes were scraped off, but the markings on it were definitely the same ancient demon writing you used to write your 'notes' when you visited my high school." Sesshomaru nodded.

"It is not unusual for the demon society to use the ancient language in our ceremonial writings," he explained and Kagome nodded.

"Well, I was studying the stone closely, I had both hands on it when thoughts about you and when you had visited my time came flowing to mind," she dropped her eyes and her bangs covered them, hoping he didn't see how embarrassed she was that she was telling him this. "I couldn't help it, I wished that I could see you again. I wanted to know if you were alright and what had happened to you. It was so frustrating to study all that history and still not know if you were alright or if you had been killed. Suddenly I was surrounded by a really bright white and then blue light and when it faded I was in the middle of the battlefield," she shrugged slightly.

Both parties fell silent and considered the information she had just imparted. Options rolled around in the taiyoukai's mind and sullenly, he realized it might not be possible to send her back.

"You said you were touching the stone when you were sent back here?" he asked and she nodded slightly, coming out of her own musings to focus on him. "Then there might not be a way to send you back," he said slowly, "it appears that somehow your miko powers responded to your wish and your contact with something from this era; the combination of those brought you back here. As there is nothing of that sort from your era here for you to do the opposite with, then I'm afraid we may not have a way of sending you home," he concluded with a sinking feeling. The last thing he wanted was for her to be stuck with him permanently though his beast felt otherwise.

Kagome's eyes were impossibly wide, but she did not cry as he thought she would. She looked more shocked than anything else, as if the thought simply had not occurred to her. As the thoughts finally sorted themselves out in her mind and realization set in, she found herself thinking that it might not be so bad. She would have all the time in the world then to torture his_ lordship_ and perhaps rebuild their friendship.

"Well, that sucks," she mused more to herself making Sesshomaru look at her oddly. Kagome waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, that's just a term in my time to refer to something that happened as being a bad thing," she said, staring off into space and thinking over what will happen to her.

So, the miko thought it was a bad thing that she was stuck with him. Good, then he would make sure it stays that way.

"Miko, since you are stuck here until we can figure something else out, then arrangements will have to be made," Kagome looked at the demon warily, not liking where this was going. "Since you have nowhere to go and since you have extraordinarily unusual and strong powers, you will enter my employ and stay here at least for a little while. I will have you train with a swordsman and others of my choosing and you will continue to advance your miko abilities," he saw Kagome go red in the face and decided to interject before she had the chance to explode on him.

"There are many reasons behind my decisions, the most prevalent however is that most of the people in my employ would rather see you dead. You have taken the first step in proving your worth to them today; however you will have to gain their respect and fear on your own. I cannot do it for you. Therefore you will be training and learning from my most trusted of my men and you will earn yourself a place among the others in their ranks," he said with finality.

Kagome was fuming, but everything he had said made sense. Just the looks she had gotten from the servants around the castle told her that she wasn't a wanted guest. Now she would have the opportunity to change that.

Standing, Kagome gave him an impressive cold look.

"Very well, _your lordship_, I will do my best to do all that you have asked. I will make sure that I am not a burden to you," she said disdainfully and Sesshomaru got that now familiar though still disturbing twist in his gut at the way she was looking at him. No, his beast was not at all happy with the results of their conversation, but he placated it with the thought that he was doing it to make her stronger.

Standing himself, he gave her a cold look that equaled hers and led her back out and into the sunshine.


	23. Chapter 23

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Well, this chapter is some introductions and some randomness... don't worry, we'll get to the fluff! I'm sorry the chapters aren't getting any longer...I'll work in the future to make them so, but no promises. I've been asked a few times about Kouga and where he is or if he died. I don't think I made it clear in my first chapter so I will give a summary here. Kouga had the shards brutally ripped from his legs by Naraku and then was left to Kagura's mercy and of course, she killed him. Heh, not too happy, but for some reason, I didn't want any other characters from the original story in this particular fanfic. I will be writing other ones in the future, but I'm taking a break after this one... -sweatdrop- Heh.

Never fear, quite a bit more story left to do, it'll be a few more chapters before real fluff starts to appear... but it's on it's way:) All your reviews are awesome and I practically check my email two or three times a day just to see if I have new reviews:P ENJOY!

Chapter 23

Kagome was in a foul mood. Not only had Sesshomaru been a complete jerk about everything, but it appeared to the young miko that nothing that had happened in the future remained in the stoic youkai. She was back to square one. Fubuki was wisely in sword form at her hip and Akiko hovered warily in the background while the fuming miko stormed around her personal rooms. The girl was supposed to be meeting her trainer sometime soon, though she wasn't one bit happy about it. She just knew she was going to get stuck with some arrogant, stuck up asshole who was going to lord it over her that he was youkai and she was human and would generally hate her very being.

Therefore when the door to her rooms slid open loudly and without so much as a single knock to announce anyone's presence or to ask for admittance, without caring who it was she threw out her hand and sent a pulse of miko energy at the two men standing in the doorway and attempting to enter. The pulse wouldn't have been enough to kill them, but it would have hurt greatly and probably embedded them into the wall behind them. Their quick reflexes saved them however and the two strange men dove to opposite sides and into the room, barely missing the glowing pink ball which crashed into the wall outside with the sound of splintering wood and sizzling energy.

The bigger of the two men jumped to his feet and glanced over his shoulder in something akin to shock before turning smoldering green eyes on the small fuming miko.

"Damnit woman! What the hell was that for! You could have killed us both!" the man was tall and obviously a dog demon of a different breed than Sesshomaru. His hair was brown black and pulled back into a low ponytail and his face was sharper and darker than the taiyoukai.

"Then don't come into my rooms unannounced and without knocking!" she shouted back, pleased to see both men cringe at the loudness of her voice.

"I am Daichi, general of Sesshomaru's armies! How dare you speak to me in such a manner! You are a woman and should know your place!" Akiko grimaced and groaned as she saw the visible aura leap up around the miko and her hair literally stand on end from the amount of power building in her small body.

"Do you think I give a living CRAP who the hell you are? Guess what? I'm KAGOME, not woman, not wench, KA-GO-ME! I am the miko who personally killed Naraku and brought an end to his evil reign! I will not be treated like I'm one of your new trainees or one of your pitiful men! I'm NOT a man, as you so astutely pointed out. I am a _woman miko_ and I will NOT be treated with disrespect, even by the likes of you!" she spat back. Both men took an involuntary step back at the sight of the glowing, snarling, and pulsing tiny woman who looked ready to fry anything that so much as looked at her wrong. Daichi pulled his brain back together and managed a response.

"Now I know you're not only a weak human, but also a liar!" he retorted, "the miko that killed Naraku was a young human woman who traveled with his lordship's half brother and who disappeared right afterwards. That was over twenty years ago, she would be older now, not a young woman!" he snarled at her.

Just then, Sesshomaru decided to show up and see what the raucous was all about. His study of land treaties had been disturbed by a loud crash and a disturbing flaring of uncomfortable miko powers which he was sure the entire palace felt. _Great, so much for making them trust her. At least they'll fear her. _

"My lordship, please make this woman cease her lying!" his general pleaded to him, making the taiyoukai want to smack the man, even though he was the closest thing to a friend and confidante. Sesshomaru's golden eyes rested on his most trusted soldier.

"General Daichi, the miko is not lying. I was there when she killed the hanyou Naraku. Do you doubt this Sesshomaru's word?" he questioned his man. Daichi's eyes grew wide for a moment before he bowed low at the waist.

"My lord, of course not, my lord. I was simply worried because her information did not seem to add up," he explained, hoping Sesshomaru was in a good mood that day.

"No, things never add up when it comes to this particular miko," he said more to himself though loudly enough for all to hear and made Kagome's ire now turn on him. She had begun to calm slightly, thinking Sesshomaru may have been coming around by defending her, but it appeared not.

"Look who's talking, you lame excuse for an overgrown lap dog," Kagome retorted and everyone's eyes went wide and a few gasps were heard before the room went eerily silent. Sesshomaru continued to stare at some non-existent spot on the wall for a few moments before responding.

"Miko, we will deal with your attitude and lack of respect later on, for now, I would like you to refrain from frying my general and captain and do what they ask of you. They are now your trainers and you will treat them with respect," Kagome crossed her arms over her chest.

"Respect is a two way thing. I will not be called 'wench,' 'woman,' or any explicatives of any kind nor will I put up with anyone barging into my room unannounced. The greatest form of leadership is treating others with respect even when you don't have to," Kagome leveled an icy blue eyed stare at the general who glared emerald right back.

"Hnh," was all the response as Sesshomaru turned and silently disappeared down the hall. The silence was deafening as the general and Kagome stared one another down for what seemed like an eternity before the general finally broke it off. Clearing his throat, he gestured to the man who was before unnoticed and standing slightly behind him.

"Miko Kagome, this is Captain Sho, he is head of Sesshomaru's guard and the one in charge of most of your training. Later on I will be training you as well, however for now, you will work with him and he will train you in any areas of combat that he finds you lacking."

The man named Sho stepped forward and Kagome had to resist the urge to stare. He was a little shorter than she was and of a very lean and light build, but what had caught her attention so completely was his shaggy looking red hair and large bright green eyes. The resemblance was so uncanny that she wanted to curl up in a corner and cry.

"Is something wrong, Kagome-sama?" Sho asked quietly. The miko had gone from fiery looking and full of color and fury to completely sheet white and almost looking she was going to faint. Even Daichi noticed the difference in the woman and studied her in puzzled fascination. Kagome seemed to visibly shake herself.

"Oh, gomen Captain… I'm sorry for staring so rudely… you just look… amazingly much like someone I used to know… someone who was very close to me," she had to stop there or risk having her voice choke up and begin crying. His voice was smooth and comforting sounding.

"It's not that you were staring, Lady Miko, but you became very pale and a little ill looking. Are you feeling alright?" his concern touched the woman because not a single demon had been nice to her since she'd arrived save Akiko and now this kitsune who looked so much like Shippo was displaying tenderness and concern similar to her beloved adopted son.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern," she responded. Though it had been so many years since that fateful day, she was still able to see so clearly the poor tiny little body and the horrible wounds inflicted upon it. Meeting someone who so resembled him made it all come rushing back and she felt somewhat overwhelmed.

"Well, if you will excuse me, gentlemen, I would like to get ready to train and I will be down at the dojo in a few minutes," she nodded slightly to both men and the puzzled demons took their leave, still somewhat in shock at how quickly the woman had changed attitudes.

Once outside the two men shrugged at each other and went their separate ways. Sho had been upset when he'd first heard his assignment because he was sure she would be some weak, simpering, complaining human woman with no backbone who would just be a bother. Her display a few minutes ago canceled most of those concerns out, but now he was worried about mood swings. _Women_, he thought tersely as he made his way to the dojo.

Kagome slumped down against the wall, still fighting back tears that threatened to fall. Suddenly she felt comforting and strong arms encircle her, cool hands rested on her shoulder and cheek and she sighed, letting a few tears fall. She hadn't even noticed Fubuki changing form, but now she was glad he had. It was very comforting to have him nearby, but somehow in human form he seemed to calm her in a way that was different from anything else. She could never feel love for the elemental, but his brotherly love for her made her feel safe.

"You saw then what he reminded me of?" she asked quietly and felt him nod against her raven hair. Sighing slightly to herself, she pulled her emotions into check and wiped her face. "Even after all this time…" she felt Fubuki shake his head.

"That is the beauty of a human soul… those that are pure never stop loving, even long after the object of love is gone. They also never stop missing. It is something most demons and elementals find hard to understand and it is what makes humans so amazing," he said quietly and Kagome smiled.

"Thank you," she sat up and he let her go, pulling back to give her a comforting smile. Just then she saw Akiko over Fubuki's shoulder a look of complete shock on the poor woman's face and one hand braced against the wall as if she was about to fall over. It took Kagome a few moments to realize what the woman was so upset about before it occurred to her that she'd never seen the human Fubuki.

"Oh! Akiko! You've never actually met Fubuki!" she exclaimed and Fubuki cast a glance at the shaking neko demon across the room. Sweeping to his feet, his hair flying silkily around him he whirled around to face the woman with arms open wide, Akiko stared at him with saucers for eyes. Kagome was convinced they were going to fall out of the poor girl's head.

"Akiko, my darling! So wonderful to finally meet you!" he crossed the room in just a few strides and swept the woman into his arms in a tight hug and spun her around a few times. Kagome couldn't suppress the giggle that bubbled out of her at the sight. Fubuki always was a character.

When Akiko finally got her balance and presence of mind back she straightened her kimono and bowed at the waist to the grinning elemental.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Fubuki-san," she said, but he waved his hand dismissively.

"We have run around together enough at this point to drop the suffixes!" he said jovially and Akiko gave him a wary sidelong glance before looking at Kagome helplessly.

"Is he really that cat you always have with you?" she asked curiously earning a laugh out of Fubuki and a groan out of Kagome.

"I'm afraid so… couldn't you tell just by looking at him?" Akiko glanced over at the demon with sparkling icy eyes and light blue hair and had to agree, he did look an awful lot like the large cat. Kagome rose to her feet and brushed herself off.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep the captain waiting," she said, "I think I pissed them all off enough for one day. I'll just keep my mouth shut now and do whatever they want me to do for this training or whatever," with that she poked Fubuki who finally stopped staring at Akiko with that goofy grin on his face and he got the hint, disappearing in a puff of cold white smoke and reforming in the sheath at her side. Akiko just watched in amazement.

"Shall we?" Kagome asked with a knowing grin and Akiko nodded dumbly, leading her lady out into the hall and to the dojo.

Sho was pleased when Kagome showed up only a bare few minutes after he had left her in her rooms. He had been afraid she would pull a woman stunt on him and claim she was changing for a few hours and their practice would be ruined. Though he was captain of Sesshomaru's guard, he was better at dealing with men than women and would honestly have been at a loss if she had pulled a feminine trick on him.

Kagome stepped lightly into the dojo and gave the kitsune a smile.

"Gomen, Sho-san, for making you wait," she said with a small bow, "I am ready to begin whenever you are," she continued with a politeness that surprised him. Now she had really thrown him off. First he expected a simpering weak woman, then after seeing her in her room he expected an unmannered wench, now she was being properly polite? What next?

"Arigato, it's fine Kagome-sama, please, come in and if you would, set your sword to the side, we will not be needing it today," he stated moving to a place in the middle of the dojo. Kagome did as she was bid with a puzzled look on her face.

"Sho-san, are we not weapons training? Or will we be using practice swords?" she asked curiously. Sho shook his head before responding.

"Sesshomaru-sama has informed me that you weren't so much in need of weapons training as you were in need of combat training. He said your skills with the sword will go to the general since that's his specialty," Kagome resisted the urge to groan in despair. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. "I will be teaching you hand to hand and some significant defense lessons as well as stealth. I am a professional assassin, and since you will be the target of many people and demons in the near future because of your position here, you will need to know their tactics and be able to properly defend yourself." Kagome looked a little taken aback, though she was less shocked than he thought she would be.

"I suppose that makes sense. If someone were trying to kill me they wouldn't exactly run at me with sword flashing in the sun like in a battle, would they?" she asked more to herself and Sho couldn't help the small smile that snuck onto his face as he shook his head.

"No, they wouldn't. They would use sneaky tactics and try and kill you before you could fry them like you tried with us earlier or pull your sword. The smartest tactics are to find someone's strengths, avoid those, and utilize their weaknesses. Right now, you are weak in defense, though you seem strong enough in offense." Kagome nodded, accepting the kitsune's assessment of her skills without fighting him or taking offense, which surprised him further.

"All right, if you're ready now, we will begin," he said and Kagome nodded and concentrated. Sho ran her through a series of stances and balance techniques telling her that as long as she kept her feet and resisted any maneuvers to make her fall she would be that much better off. After that he taught her how to disarm an adversary with a knife and how to predict the movement of her target and move with them to minimalize damage to herself.

"A natural weakness for you is going to, whether you like it or not, be the fact that you are much slower than a demon will ever be. Even more so since you are a woman," Kagome bristled but let him continue, "therefore, you will need to learn to see a demon and predict his movements. If you can predict where he will move then it won't matter that he's faster, you will not gain an upper hand, but you gain an even ground with him," he explained. He proceeded to run her through a series of drills and exercises to quicken her reflexes and teach her how to predict movement. The two worked together peacefully for a long time, Kagome surprising Sho by asking intelligent questions and picking up the material at a decent rate for a human. Kagome for her part was happy to be learning again, and though she missed her sword in her hands and her old sensei, this was better than anything she could have hoped for.

From a window slightly above the dojo with a view right through the slatted windows a pair of golden eyes regarded the training session with a bored expression. Inwardly the taiyoukai was pleased with how things were progressing, though her mere presence in the palace set him on edge. The slightly familiar feelings from years before kept attempting to surface and it was taking considerable effort to squash them _and_ keep his beast in control. From the view in his personal quarters in the family wing of the castle he was able to let himself just stare and think for a little bit, his subjects understanding completely the results of bothering him when he was there.

Sesshomaru felt a shift in the air around him and resisted the urge to sigh, _why now?_ A tall, lean man with bright blue hair, round light blue eyes and wearing the most ridiculous looking hakama the demon had ever seen appeared next to him and leaned close so he could see out the window at what the lord was staring at. The man was a little shorter than Sesshomaru himself whose fingers itched to wrap around the skinny neck and squeeze until he heard the satisfying sound of a neck snapping.

"Ohhhh! Sesshomaru! She's a pretty one, isn't she? I rather like this one. Isn't it the same human miko as before? I knew she felt familiar. You really should keep her this time around, such a cute little thing… and so pure too! I fairly pulse with excitement every time I feel her aura!" he let out a little dramatic shiver and Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Tenseiga," a deep menacing voice rolled languidly out from the shadows near the corner of the room, "if you do not cease your incessant chatter, I will remove your head from your shoulders and…"

"Oh, you're just jealous, Tōkijin!" the healing sword shot back before sticking his tongue out at the other sword in a very _mature_ manner. The evil sword stood from his position leaning against the wall and made his way over to the window to look down with disdainful red eyes at the little miko practicing with the captain. He sniffed disgustedly before turning away and letting his unruly, long thick black hair fall over one eye again, his remaining visible eye resting on the taiyoukai.

"You should have just killed her long ago, like I told you to. I don't know why you hesitated to kill her every time. If you had listened to me, you wouldn't have any of these problematic waves coming off of you ever time you're in her presence," he said in a low menacing voice.

"Ooooooh! You should be soaked in holy water!" Tenseiga retorted, "I think it's absolutely wonderful! You really should keep her! She'll be quite strong some day and she'll be a great asset to you! Just imagine what your children will look like!" he squealed happily.

"Tenseiga, you never listen to me, so why should I ever listen to anything you say?" Sesshomaru said in his usual deadpan voice never once taking his eyes from the pair in the training dojo below.

"Mooooooouuuuu! That was mean!" Tenseiga said with a pout.

"And you," Sesshomaru said slanting a look at Tōkijin, "I told you to be quiet long ago, I don't recall calling either of you to me, so I see no reason why you both should be here," he said with finality, letting his golden eyes slide back to the dojo. Tōkijin looked away with a snort and disappeared in a black cloud of smoke. Tenseiga frowned pitifully before grinning widely, waving cheerily and disappearing in a puff of light blue smoke.

Honestly, the two swords were a pain. Fortunately, when they showed up like that, they used a spirit form that only Sesshomaru could see, so no one knew he had such rebellious swords, but in truth, he wished they would just shut up sometimes. The taiyoukai almost envied Kagome for her fairly obedient and loyal sword. Sesshomaru kept a strong ruling hand on his rebellious swords and succeeded fairly well when it came to Tōkijin, though Tenseiga was another matter entirely. The stupid sword decided when it did and didn't want to heal someone and seemed to operate completely on his own motives and agenda, though Sesshomaru wasn't entirely sure even the stupid sword _himself_ knew what it was seeing as how fruity the damn thing acted.

Turning away from the window, he made his way back to his personal study which had been fixed shortly after the incident with the wall. There were many things he had to consider and decide on and knowing he would have to bring the miko into things only made him more tense.

Kagome flopped onto her futon that night exhausted from her training day with Sho. She wouldn't have even bothered to change into a sleeping kimono had Akiko not insisted. Fubuki trotted into the room after her and gave a massive cat stretch and a yawn before padding softly over to the side of the futon to wait for Kagome to finish dressing. Akiko eyed the panther warily, still disconcerted that such an attractive man was capable of looking like the cutest cat she had ever seen.

Fubuki noticed her looking at him and bared his teeth in what looked remarkably like a shit eating grin and she snapped her head back to her mistress, a massive blush working its way onto her cheeks. Kagome peeked under the girl's bangs when she tried to hide it and started laughing.

"Akiko! You're blushing!" she laughed some more before turning a mock reproving face at Fubuki, "Stop terrorizing my poor friend!" Fubuki just rolled onto his back and put is paws in the air, giving the girls an innocent sidelong glance, a mischievous twinkle in his ice blue eyes.

"Troublemaker," Kagome grumbled and made her way over to her futon, flopping down on her stomach and drifting off to sleep almost immediately. Akiko quietly blew out the lights and with one last look over her shoulder at the pair, she left quietly, shutting the door behind her and heading to her own rooms in the servants section.

Sometime in the early hours of the morning a lone figure walked silently down the halls of the palace. He didn't need rest, so he opted for wandering instead. A thought occurred to him as he wandered down a particular hallway and he stopped in front of the door he sought and slid it open silently. The room was dark save for a tiny trickle of light from the waning moon coming in through the window. The light caught in twin spots of icy luminance staring up at him from next to the formless shape lying on the futon and he knew he'd found what he was looking for. Ice stared into amber for a few moments before the owner of the eyes rose silently from his position by the bed, knowing why the other was here and padded noiselessly to the door.

The door slid shut behind him and they regarded each other coolly for a few moments before the silence was broken by a barely audible voice.

"Human form, and follow me," the taiyoukai turned to walk away but was halted by a familiar silky voice.

"If I stray too far from her side in this form then she will begin to lose power and will suffer consequences," Fubuki stood a few inches shorter than the youkai, though in the moonlight filtering through the slats in the windows they looked very similar, Sesshomaru's long silver hair took on a slightly light bluish tint and the paleness of their skin made them fairly glow. "I suggest that whatever you need to discuss that it be done here and I return as soon as possible," the elemental insisted.

Sesshomaru did not like being told what to do and he glared icily at the annoying sword.

"Is that why when she was so weak and had used so much power that you decided to drain what little she had left and appear as a human," he asked quietly, his eyes piercing into the elemental before him.

"She needed someone and there was no one else there for her," the blue haired man retorted, "but that's obviously not what you brought me out here to discuss," he said crossing his arms over his lean chest.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. You presume to know this Sesshomaru?" he asked stoically and Fubuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"No, perhaps we're here to discuss what the hell is wrong with you," he ignored the look of death aimed his way, "Kagome-sama brought you to her time, showed you around, befriended you and taught you her ways, her family gave you a home for heaven's sake! Then you turn around and give her the hospitality of a stuck up, conceited nobleman's son who _has_ to have his way!" Sesshomaru was emitting a low warning growl now.

"Have you so easily forgotten, _elemental_, what would happen to her if, and you presume _much_, you had your way and I treated her the way you seem to want me to? You see how the rest of the people in the castle treat her now. Imagine that doubled or tripled and then add in the fact that _every other_ demon in existence will be out for her blood. Her staying here is bad enough, I just got a missive from the Northern lord that he heard about the miko residing with me and wants to come inspect her for himself," Fubuki's eyes widened slightly.

"Inspect as in…"

"Determine if I plan to mate her and if so, then find out if she's strong enough to hold the title, and if I don't plan on taking her as a mate, then find out why she's here," he said coldly. Fubuki tapped his finger against his pointed chin.

"Now why would they think you planned on mating her," he gave the lord a sidelong glance and Sesshomaru wanted to throttle the man. What was it about swords that made them so infuriating?

"Perhaps it would have something to do about my father," he said coldly.

"Ah yes, I remember my lady telling me something about that," he said with a slight shake of his head and a far off look on his face.

"And what exactly are you to her?" he asked, his cold eyes boring into the shorter man, though seemingly having no effect on him at all. Fubuki looked at the taiyoukai as if he was stupid, making him wish even more that he could throttle him.

"I am a sword, your lordship. Not only that, but I am an elemental, a wanderer. I have no home or anything to give to speak of save my loyalty. Yes, she was attractive to me when I first met her because of who she is. She made it clear in no uncertain terms exactly how she felt about me. We grew close through combat training and I offered my shoulder and comfort when she needed it. I regard her as a little sister now, hardly someone I would think of romantically. She was alone. She has always been alone. No one understood or could possibly understand the young woman who had lived part of her life in a time that most could only read about or dream of. Her entire life has been spent in making other's lives happier and easier. The least I can do is protect her when no one else will," golden eyes glittered in the dark as Sesshomaru was silent through the icy sword's monologue.

"She is my best friend and my partner in combat, nothing more, your lordship," Fubuki's own icy eyes glittered, only with amusement instead of boredom. "You seem very interested in someone you claim to have no feelings for," he said knowingly. "One would wonder about your own motives." Sesshomaru looked at him with still blank eyes.

"She is to be a powerful part of my army. Would I not wish to know her strengths and weaknesses?" the demon said disdainfully. Fubuki wanted to smack the taller man. It was so clear to the elemental, though it seemed to him that there was more than his own foolish pride holding him back.

"You do fear for her greatly, don't you? If… and I'm not saying there is… but if you had feelings for her and wanted to take her as a mate, she would really be in real danger, wouldn't she?" Sesshomaru's eyes were unreadable. "Kagome told me Izayoi was actually killed the night she gave birth to InuYasha and that Inu no Taisho brought her back," still nothing. "That was by her own kin too… she would be hated by all," something glittered through the amber depths but was gone before it was identifiable.

Slowly and silently the taiyoukai turned and started off down the hallway, deciding that their conversation was now over, but Fubuki wasn't done yet.

"You fear much, but what if Kagome was strong enough?" the taiyoukai's steps halted, "what if she was able to prove she was worthy of standing by your side? She is stronger and more remarkable than even you know and she deserves more than how you're treating her," Fubuki pleaded. A silver head turned slightly though not enough to see the porcelain like face.

"That would require a desire on my part, now wouldn't it?" Fubuki felt his hopes drop into his feet. "I hope you are used to disappointment." With that he disappeared down the dark hallway and the sword stood there, staring at where the man had been moments before. _Damn him!_ Casting one last glare where the youkai disappeared, he turned and silently entered the room, closing the door behind him before padding on all fours, tail swishing gently to return to his mistress's side.


	24. Chapter 24

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Yay! Update time:) I struggled a bit with this chapter and the ending's kinda lame, so review and let me know what you all think. I'm building up between Kags and Sesshomaru so it'll make them getting together that much sweeter! X3

Enjoy and remember to review!

Chapter 24

Another bone shaking sword strike sent painful vibrations shooting up into her shoulder and she backpedaled furiously, her eyes never leaving her opponent as she studied his stances and the cording of his muscles in order to gauge his next move. Kagome's days had become split recently. One day she would spend the majority of the day learning from Sho who was fast becoming a very good friend and the next day she would learn from Daichi who still acted like she was a ningen beneath his notice.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she parried his next two hits and slid her blade under his guard to attempt a kill. A smooth block from him and her attempt failed. Although she was happy to be wielding Fubuki once again, Daichi was a hard teacher and she missed her old sensei. The general ran her relentlessly through routines and she swallowed her complaints and bore it in silence, not wanting to give him any more reason to call her weak. She was sure he was doing things purposefully to tire her more than necessary, but if she couldn't get the general of Sesshomaru's army to respect her then how could she get anyone else to?

Sho stood off to the side watching with a worried expression on his small face and Kagome had to suppress a smile and concentrate on the man before her. The kitsune had become someone she valued her time with. His ready smile and chipper attitude betrayed nothing of the deadly profession he practiced or his absolute command and respect of his men. She found she could look at him now without such painful pangs in her chest, though the older kitsune still reminded her a lot of her poor adopted son.

Sesshomaru had been acting strangely the past few days. She saw him very little, but he had now taken to sharing her evening meal in the dining hall. He would sit at the end of the table silently while she ate, sipping his tea and acting for all the world like he was the only being in the room. At first this bothered her, but after a day or two she just ignored the demon in turn and simply enjoyed what she considered companionable silence, though she was sure he didn't think of it that way.

This morning he had actually swept into the massive hall to tell her that after her training and bathing today she was to come to his office to speak to him and before she could form any sort of response he was gone. Miffed at him for his imperious attitude, she hadn't gone to training in the best of moods.

Gritting her teeth to keep from crying out at a particularly hard blow that sent pain shooting into her wrist, she glared daggers at the general and parried another blow. The little miko was sure he was hitting her sword as hard as he possibly could. Her shoulders burned and her joints ached and she wanted nothing more than to blast the stupid dog across from her with a pulse of miko energy and be done with him.

Daichi's sharp voice barked out her mistakes and demanded she rectify them as his sword twirled and dipped and struck again. Fortunately, he avoided actually cutting her when he would score a hit, though he would slap her hard with the flat of the blade leaving massive welts all along her arms, ribs waist, thighs and even one on her neck. She had yet to score a single hit and she considered herself a passable swordswoman.

Finally she was fed up. Their practice had begun shortly before sunrise that morning and had continued well on into the afternoon. Her body ached and she was at wits end.

A small charge from Fubuki and she sent a wave of intensely cold energy at her attacker, knocking him to his back and freezing his clothing to the floor. One quick leap and she was standing over him with her sword to his throat. A pulse of miko energy leapt from the blade and burned his throat, though not enough to damage him badly.

"Kill," the little miko stated, sheathed her sword and walked away.

"Miko, that was not a proper kill," he snarled pulling himself from the floor and breaking the ice cementing his clothing to the smooth wood.

"I don't care. I've decided we're done for the day. You've had your fun and I've been more than silent and willing to submit myself for your training. If you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to other than being beat on for a few hours," giving the general a glacial glare she nodded to Akiko who rose and followed her mistress out of the hall.

Once they were gone Sho stood from his position leaning against the wall and approached the general who was sheathing his sword.

"For a human who's had little training, she's done exceedingly well in only a few days. Much better than I could have ever thought," the red headed captain said earning a snort from the taller man.

"True, she's better than I gave her credit for. She doesn't really complain at all either… but that attitude needs to go," he said with finality. Sho shrugged.

"I think it's what gives her part of her charm. How can she stand up to a demon across swords if she cannot match him in attitude?" he asked slyly and the general gave him an annoyed glare.

"You just like her," he chuckled and Sho shrugged helplessly.

"What can I say? She's a fireball with a big heart, what's not to like?" he responded with a grin and the general's face took on a serious look.

"Be careful you do not do anything to anger his lordship. Though he doesn't admit to caring about her, he wouldn't go to all this trouble for something he was just going to throw away. He has plans for her, what they are, I have no idea, but keep your nose clean.

Sho nodded and waved as the men parted ways.

Kagome had walked tall and with her head up until she was out of sight of the two men then slumped slightly and rubbed her wrists. She knew she was going to be in a lot of pain tonight and tomorrow.

Akiko rushed her lady into a bathing kimono and hurried her down the hall. The neko demon knew her lady would need to soak and was determined to rush the preparations so she would have at least a little time before having to meet with his lordship.

As Akiko bustled around preparing to bathe her lady, Kagome sighed and sank gratefully up to her eyes in the warm soothing water, blowing bubbles as her mouth sank below the surface. The water felt so good on her aching muscles and throbbing joints and she knew dinner would taste twice as good that night as well. It always did after she trained so vigorously. One good thing about all this was her figure was vastly improving.

Already she was noticing in satisfaction that the small bit of puppy fat she still carried around her midsection was beginning to disappear and the muscles were being shaped nicely, standing out in noticeable, though still feminine cords along her arms and she could feel the planes of developing muscles along her back as Akiko had her stand so she could wash her.

The serving girl had to remind herself every day that her mistress was not a demon. The girl was remarkably resilient for a human and had an attitude that rivaled that of a dominant dog demoness. The miko was also strangely lacking the ever present smell of human decay. Most humans could never rid themselves of the scent no matter how much they bathed because it was a natural scent for them. Their bodies were in a constant state of entropy. However, Kagome lacked this smell. It was this smell that turned most demons off to mating humans because it was a poignant reminder of the being's absolute mortality.

Sniffing gently so as not to disturb her lady, she again realized that even after hours of training, under the smell of sweat, dirt and general normal grubbiness, there was only the soft and soothing scent of sakura blossoms and spring water. Puzzling over this, she quickly washed and rinsed her lady's hair and then let her soak for a few minutes, not wishing to disturb the tired woman's few moments of solace.

It ended all too soon for the little miko. Sighing in resignation, she let her friend pull her from the soothing waters and her thankfully blank thoughts to dry off, re-robe and return to her rooms.

Akiko steered her charge back to her rooms, noticing that the girl seemed oddly quiet and withdrawn until she remembered that Kagome had that meeting with Sesshomaru right after this. The girl was probably nervous, the poor thing. Akiko quickly dressed her mistress in her usual miko garb, choosing a midnight blue set of pants because the little miko had insisted that she never have to wear red ones. This puzzled the servant, but the woman never explained, so her wardrobe contained not a single pair of red miko pants.

Sitting Kagome down, Akiko went to work on the long raven tresses, always amazed at how midnight black they were. There was not a single strand of other color in them save for the deep blue highlights that shimmered in the depths like expensive silk. The hair hung straight past her waist to tickle the tops of her thighs when it was down, curling slightly at the bottoms. Akiko swept the still damp tresses back to the nape of her neck, tying it back with a white ribbon and letting the traditional pieces hang to the front as was called for in a miko's attire.

Akiko waited for her lady for a few moments, uncertain if she should break the girl's apparent reverie when the miko in question looked down at the hands folded in her lap neatly, turning the now calloused appendages over to look at them more closely. Muttering something that made no sense about missing something called 'chocolate' the little miko stood, her midnight blue pants swishing about her lean legs as she moved to the door and proceeded down the hallway with Akiko close on her heels.

Kagome was aware that although her display in Sesshomaru's office had gained her a reprieve, she was still on the receiving end of many nasty looks and comments. It was going to take time to make the palace inhabitants warm up to her. With a silent sigh she continued down the hall to a confrontation she really didn't look forward to.

Knocking on the door quietly, she waited to be told to enter. The voices within ceased and she heard Sesshomaru's voice bid her enter. Opening the screen quietly and closing it politely behind herself, she stood in place across the room and waited to be bid to come in. Sesshomaru sat behind his desk, two advisors on cushions before the mountain of papers they were apparently going through when he waved them to leave, not sparing them a single glance, though staring intently at a paper he still held in his hand. The vassals scrambled humorously, gathering up all the papers and quickly exiting the room.

Still standing by the doorway, she clasped her hands inside her voluminous sleeves, trying to smother her nervousness and focus on the demon behind the desk with cool detachment.

Apparently she'd succeeded because he looked up boredly and gestured for her to sit across from him on one of the cushions the vassals had vacated. The miko settled down properly and waited to be spoken to. Kagome wasn't used to acting this way, but she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than for this to be over so she could return to her rooms. Sesshomaru had become an enigma to her and was even more exhausting to her mentally than her training was.

Finally the demon finished reading and looked up at the miko, bored gold clashing with bored blue for a few moments before he decided to inform her why he had called her there.

"The northern lord is visiting in a few days to inspect you," he said abruptly. The silence was deafening as she stared at the stoic demon in a manner that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Sure, he could have phrased it a different way, but he felt the need to do things in a way he knew would fluster her. Unfortunately for him, he discovered he would have to try harder. No flush, no telltale heated blush rose to her cheeks, she just stared at him in bewilderment.

"Inspect me?" she finally spoke, "like I'm some sort of horse or cattle up for auction to the highest bidder?" she asked with more bitterness than she'd intended, but the response took the demon by surprise.

"No, not for auction," he said, leaving it at that.

"What then? Why does this lord feel the need to inspect me?" she demanded quietly, staring the lord across from her down, demanding he give her answers that satisfy her. He stared back, his own will clashing silently with hers.

"A human miko living in the house of a lord is an unusual thing. Unfortunately, the affinity for humans runs in my family. First my father, then InuYasha, and then I took in Rin," he elaborated. "Obviously he is afraid I am not telling him something and he is coming to see you for himself and determine if there is a need to kill you." Kagome was beginning to look agitated.

"Kill me? Why would he feel the need to kill me?" she asked, flabbergasted, this conversation was not at all what she'd had in mind.

"He obviously fears I would take you as a potential mate," his eyes never left the girl, his conversation with Fubuki briefly surfacing before being squashed, "a demoness who would stand by my side is judged by the lords to determine if she is strong enough for the position. The trials can sometimes be dangerous. A human in that position would most likely not survive long," he said and Kagome felt like he was announcing her death. "In fact, they would probably judge her more harshly. She would need to expect several death attempts," he finally finished, his eyes revealing nothing.

Kagome stared at him for a few moments, trying to assess what he was thinking. Giving up, she finally shrugged and spread her hands in a helpless gesture.

"Then we have nothing to worry about, do we?" she said matter of factly, "you obviously have no intention of even being around me long enough to court me and …" she paused, "I need to find a way home," she finished quietly. Sesshomaru was surprised at her lack of willingness to argue with him and how quiet she was being. He had dropped the information to see what she would do with it and was surprised that his answer was _nothing._

Kagome looked down sullenly and picked at her sleeves, pulling at the plain embroidery holding it together as she waited for him so speak. His attitude over the past few days had told her that he clearly did not wish to be in her presence and though it hurt a lot, she was willing to accept that. The girl had finally gotten over and said good bye to InuYasha, she didn't want another un-returnable love and go through the process of letting go all over again. He'd made it obvious he didn't want her, so she would honor his wishes and let him go.

"Hnh," he responded and Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "So I see your training with Daichi is proceeding well," he began and a pang of jealousy shot through his chest at the sudden fiery look that entered the miko's blue eyes at the mention of his general.

"Pompous, disrespectful, arrogant…" the insults for the dog demon became more colorful as she kept muttering them, more to herself, but greatly amusing Sesshomaru despite himself, though that pang wouldn't quite go away. He cut into her monologue of increasingly vulgar insults to bring the attention back to their conversation.

"I will come by the dojo sometime in the next few days to monitor your progress. Perhaps if I am not busy we will see how much you have learned since we last fought." Her head snapped up and she looked at him with saucer-like eyes, convinced she saw a glimmer of satisfaction spark in the golden depths before it was gone. Slumping slightly, she glowered at him. _Great, this is the last thing I need right now._

Sesshomaru regarded her in inner, silent amusement for a few moments longer before breaking the miko out of her glaring by gesturing at the door and turning back to his papers.

"You may go," he said imperiously and with finality. Kagome rose to her feet with more grace than he'd remembered her having, though he refused to look up. Casting one more glare over her shoulder at him, she exited quietly, refraining from slamming the door immaturely and made her way down the hallway, Akiko falling into step behind her.

Sesshomaru looked up from his paper that he wasn't really reading and stared off into space at the spot she had been sitting moments ago, her scent still filling his nostrils with every breath.

Yes, it would indeed take more effort now to put his little miko off balance than it had before. The girl had matured and was no longer as susceptible to some of the comments he used to make before. Inwardly he cracked a smile at the thought of the amusing challenge and his beast growled his pleasure.

Kagome stopped in her tracks halfway back to her room, making Akiko almost bump into her, thinking wildly for a few moments before spinning on the poor surprised demoness and pinning her with an appraising stare.

"Akiko, you know about the northern lord coming, right?" Akiko stood her ground, though her mistress was making her nervous, where was she going with this?

"Yes, my lady. He's due to arrive in four days," the servant responded and Kagome became lost in thought for a few moments, tapping her chin with one finger as her eyes glazed over.

"Do you know anything about preparing for a lord's arrival? Who usually does that kind of thing?" the neko stared at her questioningly.

"Usually it falls to the lady of the house. In the absence of a lady as in Sesshomaru's case, it usually falls to the next female in line or the highest ranked servant," Akiko suddenly began to put two and two together. "My lady, in this case, that would probably be you…" she trailed off before continuing, "and yes, mistress, I do know about preparing for a lord's arrival." With a big grin Kagome laid her arm companionably around the demoness's shoulders and squeezed.

"Well, let's get a move on then!" she exclaimed, happy to have something to do other than train and sit in her room, "we wouldn't want Lord Sesshy to be disappointed, now would we?" Akiko blanched at the nickname and Kagome laughed jovially as they continued to the servant's wing.

It had taken her a little bit to convince the servants that she was indeed serious about taking over the preparations for the lord's arrival. Many snide comments and glares were sent her way and she ignored them in favor of concentrating on her task. A few servants refused to cooperate and a pulse or two of miko energy got them literally hopping back to their tasks.

Akiko was a fountain of knowledge and a great strength to the miko in her learning experience. The neko told her how to prepare the lord's personal chambers so they were to his liking, how to set up a receiving dinner for when he arrived including how much and what type of food was appropriate. There was also a celebratory dance to prepare as was custom. With Akiko's help she catalogued every meal and had servants running to do her bidding, many of them shocked into submission at her dominant and absolutely authoritative attitude. Kagome expected results, though she oversaw them with gentleness and the occasional show of force.

When dinner finally rolled around, Akiko had to pull her lady away from the preparations, letting Kagome pick a servant to leave in charge until her return after training the next day and led her to the dining hall.

Sesshomaru regarded the girl boredly over his tea cup as she entered the room without looking at him, bowing before sitting down and beginning to eat. Though his look was one of boredom, he studied her intently; his interest peaked by her performance that day. He had been surprised to learn that after she had left his office she had set his staff on a whirlwind of activity in preparation for the northern lord's arrival. Though he was tempted at first to rip out throats when he heard the grumbling of his vassals, he let the miko work on her own and watched in amazement as she dealt with them appropriately, ignoring their cruel remarks and pulling them in hand efficiently and absolutely.

By the end of the day he was thoroughly stunned to see his entire staff working without complaint, their own minds a whirlwind of confused thoughts regarding the odd woman who seemed to completely take over things as if she was supposed to. None of the demons had expected her to step up and take over the responsibility that truly was in reality hers, and when she did, they had doubted her ability. For many of them the little miko had already proven herself and she had gained their full respect. There were a few who still needed some convincing, though the comments had stopped for the time being.

"Where did you learn to run a palace?" he asked curiously. Kagome's wide blue eyes rested on him at the end of the table as he set his tea cup down, as if realizing for the first time that he actually _was_ there and wasn't just some illusion to put her off and make her uncomfortable. Shifting nervously, she looked back down at her food and picked at her sleeve.

"Akiko helped me a lot," she finally said, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth to worry it with the little pearly whites, distracting the demon more than he would care to admit.

"Hnh," he responded taking a sip of his tea, "it had not been expected of you." She waited for him to elaborate, though it seemed she would be waiting all night.

"Well," she shifted, "it seemed like a good idea and it gives me something to do other than training all day," she admitted and Sesshomaru gave the barest of nods. Perhaps it would be wise for him to keep her bored all the time. Who knew what other surprises a bored miko had in store for his unknowing palace?

The meal was finished in silence and Kagome quietly excused herself before retreating to her rooms thankfully. He confused her so much and she wanted nothing more than to relax for the rest of the night after such a whirlwind and exhausting day. Akiko dutifully followed her back to the rooms and helped her change, the gears turning over the miko and her lord's conversation as she got the girl ready for bed.

If she didn't know any better, she would say Sesshomaru was showing tendencies of desiring to court the young woman, though he had yet to act on it. The neko suppressed an annoyed sigh. The two of them would be so wonderful together despite the fact that her mistress was a human. In Akiko's opinion she more than made up for that little fact and she wanted nothing more than to see the two of them happy.

Kagome had been very quiet as they had gone back and she had been changed, but now she jumped up with a huge grin on her face. She had been remembering her past times with the confusing demon and now she wanted to enjoy herself with her friend.

"Akiko! I'm going to teach you a song from… where I come from," she exclaimed excitedly and Akiko looked at her in confused bafflement. The demoness knew she came from somewhere far away, but she hadn't thought that it would be so far that the customs or songs would be different. Though come to think of it, it should have made sense to her with the way her lady miko acted.

"Do you know English?" she asked the neko curiously and the woman gave her a blank look, telling her that was a no. "It's ok, you don't have to. Where I come from it's required that we learn a language called English because… we do a lot of trade and commerce with a country that only speaks that," she finished lamely. Akiko looked at her strangely but let her continue.

"Ok! Since you won't know the words, I'll just sing and if you pick up on the melody you can sing along too, but I'm gonna teach you how to dance like we do where I come from! Just to warn you though, it's really different," Akiko watched the miko warily but with great interest. In all the time she'd served her lady she hadn't really talked much about where she had come from or what it was like there. It surprised the servant slightly to know that her lady knew other languages, but again, she figured it shouldn't be too shocking, the girl wrote beautifully and spoke extremely well, so she was obviously educated.

"Ok, the song's called "Every Time We Touch" and it's sung by Cascada… though you wouldn't know who that is, but that's ok. Kagome started singing and Akiko couldn't help but he pleased and lulled slightly by the sound of the miko's sweet voice even if she didn't understand the words.

"I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me.

I still feel your touch in my dreams.

Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why.

Without you it's hard to survive."

The tune was swift moving and Kagome began stepping her feet to a fairly fast beat, humming out parts that were instrumental and showing the demoness how to move her hips in a manner that made the older girl blush furiously.

"Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.

And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.

Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.

I need you by my side.

Cause every time we touch, I feel the static.

And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.

Can't you hear my heart beat so.

I can't let you go.

I want you in my life."

Kagome spun the girl around with a giggle and hummed a fairly long instrumental part, the demoness picking up quickly on how to move her feet and letting go of her embarrassment let herself imitate the girl's body movements, finding it was easier than it looked and quite a bit of fun. Soon the girls were giggling and dancing easily around one another. Fubuki watched in great interest from his spot on the floor across the room, though his ice blue cat eyes were trained solely on Akiko's slim figure.

"Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.

They wipe away tears that I cry.

The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.

You make me rise when I fall.

Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling.

And everytime we kiss I swear I could fly.

Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.

I need you by my side.

Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static.

And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky.

Can't you hear my heart beat so

I can't let you go.

I want you in my life."

Stopping outside the door when he heard the soft voice singing from within, he stared at the screen, his mask slipping only a little to show wide golden eyes. That was the same song that had been playing at one point in the 'club' she had taken him to that night. Memories came flooding back of bright lights, loud music and a soft body brushing seductively against his own battled hardened body. He had walked up shortly after Kagome had begun her solo and could hear the girls stepping and dancing within as the miko sang in a smooth velvety and sweet, though untrained voice.

"Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.

And every time we kiss, I swear I could fly.

Can't you feel my heart beat fast.

I want this to last.

I need you by my side."

By the time the last verse came along he could hear the demoness servant picking up on the tune and humming along, the two dissolving into giggles when they were finally finished. Resisting the urge to snort, he knew his choice of handmaiden for the miko had been the right one.

Though the demoness hadn't understood the words, Sesshomaru himself had traveled far in his lifetime and had picked up quite a few languages. Living with the miko in the future for a week had vastly improved his knowledge of the English language and although he hadn't heard it in over twenty years, he found he still understood most of what she had sung.

Though the words had been sung without her knowledge of his presence or of his hearing them, he still felt a strange warmth pool in his chest and stomach. His beast stirred impatiently within him as he wondered briefly if she would ever speak words like that to him and mean them.

Shaking himself internally and giving his beast a firm shove down he shook his hair indignantly and stalked off down the hall, huffing to rid his nose of the sweet smell of sakura blossoms and spring water.


	25. Chapter 25

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

I'm leaving for the weekend early tomorrow morning, so I'm posting a little early. Let me know what you all think! Remember, reviews bring out my better writing:)

Chapter 25

The next few days flew by way too quickly for Kagome. Preparations for the northern lord's arrival were going well, though the poor little miko felt like she was in a constant whirlwind of activity. By the second day there were no more complaints and most of the staff had begun to think of her with respect. Not one of them had expected her to be able to hold onto the responsibility of preparing for a lord's visit, but Kagome was performing better than anyone could have imagined.

Sesshomaru had gone out for the day to survey his lands and patrol the outlying villages, leaving Kagome in control of his palace and the state of affairs while he was gone. Kagome was miffed at first that he would shove so much responsibility on her while she was already swamped, but it gave her an excuse to skip training for the day. _Too bad it's my day to practice with Daichi,_ she thought sarcastically. It was only two more days, well one and some morning preparations, before the northern lord was due to arrive and the miko wanted everything to be flawless.

A servant came running into the kitchens where Kagome was detailing the lists and making sure everything was ready for the dinner and the celebration the next day, waiting nervously until she was finished and gave him her full attention.

"Kagome-sama, there is a messenger in the courtyard who would speak with Sesshomaru-sama," he said bowing low. The little woman was pleased with the change in attitude toward her and nodded back, though was rather nervous about speaking to a messenger in Sesshomaru's stead. Leaving her head servant in charge, she and Akiko made their way to the courtyard, Akiko settling the girl's hair and sprucing her appearance before they stepped out into the sunshine.

A demon stood in the middle of the courtyard as she entered, his bright blue hair shimmered in the golden light of the afternoon and he appraised her in surprise and a hint of disgust before bowing as was customary. Kagome returned the bow and pretended she didn't see the look of disgust.

"I am Higurashi Kagome and I am standing in for his lordship in his absence," she said, leveling the man with an authoritative and somewhat cold expression, keeping her eyes carefully bored.

The man appraised her for a few moments longer before stepping forward with a sealed scroll.

"My mistress and lady wishes to congratulate his lordship on the success of his campaign against the south. News of the Northern lord's visit to the western kingdom has reached her ears and she has desired to join their lordships here on this celebratory occasion. States of affairs must be discussed and she feels it an appropriate time for a meeting of lords and ladies for such a discussion," he bowed low and stood to wait for an answer.

Kagome glanced at the scroll in her hands and resisted the urge to fidget or bite her lip. Akiko had been training her on how to act the part of a lady and the little miko found it harder than she had originally anticipated.

This was a disturbing announcement. Coming to a decision quickly, she decided she couldn't exactly deny the eastern lady the right to come and visit at the same time as the northern lord. Bowing slightly as was due her station her eyes met with sea green eyes and she nodded slightly.

"The western kingdom welcomes the eastern lady. We will eagerly await her safe arrival," she said in dismissal. The messenger bowed low before turning to leave.

This was bad. Now not only would she have to prepare for the northern lord's arrival in two days time, but now she would have the eastern lady here as well. What else could go wrong?

Turns out there was a lot that could. Before the sun had set Kagome received a missive from the northern lord saying he was bringing his wife, son and general to the celebration and all of them looked forward to attending. So now instead of one lord and some vassals, she had an entire noble family including his most trusted advisor and a second noble lady with her vassals and her missive included her own trusted advisor. That put her count at six important people and all their entourage. Groaning quietly to herself, she turned to the servant wing to break the bad news to everyone.

Sesshomaru arrived back at the palace to absolute chaos. Servants were running as fast as their legs could carry them, many gathering or buying extra food, preparing and cleaning an entire guest wing of the palace, cleaning the dining hall and entertaining rooms and leaving nothing untouched in their hurricane like endeavors. Bewildered, the taiyoukai filtered out all the other intense smells of cleaning materials, food cooking and being prepared and dust to hone in on the smell of his miko. He discovered she was in the guest wing and headed in that direction.

Arriving in the master bedroom of the wing of the palace reserved for guests, which hadn't been used in quite some time mind you, he found Kagome in the middle of all the chaos, somehow managing to keep track of almost everyone she spoke to and sending each one off, with Akiko working just as hard to keep the rest of things organized and keep track of their tasks.

He stood for a minute just taking in everything before she finally turned around and noticed him standing there. For a moment he could only stare at her, she looked like she'd been working hard all day long; whisps of hair slipped out of her ponytail and framed her face and neck, curling appealingly against her lightly tan skin, her miko outfit was clean, though rumpled from working all day and she had the rosy look of someone in the middle of a difficult job.

"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama, I'm so glad you've returned. I was afraid you might not be back until tomorrow," she said bowing slightly to him since she was in front of the servants before handing her lists off to Akiko who continued to direct the staff since her lady was in more than capable hands now.

"What exactly is going on here?" he asked in a colder voice than he had meant to use and Kagome had to work hard not to flinch, her hands picking at the threading in her sleeves nervously and stared at his boots.

"Well, I got two messages today while you were gone. One was from the eastern lady, Yoko-sama. She said she had heard that the northern lord Takehiko-sama was visiting and requested to be able to come at the same time so a meeting of lords and ladies could take place as well as to celebrate with the other lords your victory in the battle against the south," taking a deep breath since she hadn't breathed at all during her monologue she then rushed on. "The second was from Takehiko-sama himself saying that he now wished to bring his wife Hoshiko-sama and his son Toshi-san and his general Kisho-san as well. They all said they were looking forward to attending," she finally finished. Sesshomaru had kept a mental tally in his head of everyone who was now attending and suppressed a groan. This was not going to be fun.

"You accepted then?" he asked and Kagome bit her lower lip nodding, still staring at Sesshomaru's boots. Though he greatly appreciated the miko putting forth the effort to act appropriately in front of his servants, she was making him incredibly uncomfortable and that realization startled him. He didn't want this respectful form of Kagome that was in front of him now; he wanted the fiery, challenging girl back.

Suddenly, he realized what was wrong. She was killing herself trying to keep up with a task that a demoness would be able to handle though barely better than she was herself. His little miko was trying to prove herself and she didn't care the cost to her body or mind. She was exhausted and it had drained her of her usual attitude.

"I wasn't sure I could turn them away without starting a war and I was pretty sure you'd be fairly angry if I did something like that," she said, a hint of humor creeping into her voice and he wanted to smile.

"Except for the fact that you have indeed condemned me to a war," he responded and Kagome's head came up at the tone in his voice. Her eyes slightly wide, she hadn't heard him speak like that since he'd visited her time.

"It is definitely going to be much worse than a war zone in this castle with three noble families attempting to reside under the same roof for any period of time," he said and Kagome bit her lip again, only this time she was biting back a smile and he got the sudden urge to remove the abused flesh from between her teeth with his own…. _oh not again._

"I thought you feared nothing, Sesshomaru-_sama_," she said, humor glistening in her beautiful blue eyes and the taiyoukai wanted to sigh in satisfaction. That was much better.

"Then perhaps you do not know this Sesshomaru very well," he said, a challenge lighting up in his amber eyes and an answering flicker in her own. "I take it the preparations are going well then?" he asked suddenly and pride suddenly flared up in the oceans of her eyes.

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, "I mean, at first it was quite a shock to have so much more to prepare for, but I am confident that everything will be done with time to spare," she said, turning slightly to survey all her work and glance at Akiko who turned to smile at her lady before turning back to her work.

"Make sure you rest enough," he commanded, his tone no nonsense now, "it will do you no good to make everything perfect and then offend them by becoming ill and not being able to make an appearance. Believe it or not, they are all here to see you," he warned and Kagome nodded with wide eyes.

Turning, he exited the room leaving a baffled Kagome behind him. _All this time I've been here he hasn't said so much as one kind word to me, then he comes back after being gone today and he teases me and speaks to me with consideration. Kami, he's worse than a woman! _Turning back to her tasks, she set out to give her staff their instructions for the night before she and Akiko retired back to her rooms. After taking a soak in the hot springs of course.

The day flew by quickly and all too soon, a servant was informing both Sesshomaru and Kagome of the imminent arrival of both the lord of the north and his family as well as the lady of the east and her entourage.

Kagome had been dressed that morning in a beautiful kimono and her hair had been dressed appropriately by Akiko. The kimono was light and dark greens that accentuated beautifully her lightly tanned skin and brought out the deep blues in her eyes and her hair.

Akiko nodded with a big smile at her lady's appearance and Kagome regarded herself nervously in the mirror. Akiko had insisted that Fubuki not be worn at her hip, but the miko would not go without him and since it seemed inappropriate that he follow her around in cat form, the servant girl finally gave in and secured him at her waist with a beautiful ribbon decorated with blue and green beads.

Sesshomaru was waiting for her outside and Akiko hurried her lady to the door. Stepping out into the hallway, she looked up to find him staring at her in his usual bored manner, though a small spark of life flitted through his amber eyes before disappearing. He was dressed as usual, his white hakama with the red embroidery was pristine as usual, his armor glistening softly in the light of the hallway and Tenseiga and Tōkijin hung comfortably at his hip. One eyebrow raised as his eye fell on Fubuki then returning to her face, but she just shrugged silently before falling into step one step behind him and to his left. Appearances had to be made, at least for first impressions, so Kagome bit the bullet and took her appropriate place with Akiko walking demurely a few paces behind.

Fubuki exuded waves of comfort from her hip and she took a deep breath before following the taiyoukai into the sunshine. They had only a few moments to wait before the gates were swung open to admit the northern lord and his family. The eastern lady and her entourage were due to arrive a little later that night.

A tall man lean man approximately the same height as Sesshomaru strode purposefully into the courtyard. The most noticeable features were his amazingly bright shock of red hair that stood straight out in many different directions, a long lock falling crossways in front of his forehead and the other pieces sticking out all over the place complete with a feather of the same color woven into the hair every now and then. The second most noticeable were his bright yellow eyes. They weren't the soft amber gold color that made the miko's heart melt; they were a bright yellow that rivaled that of a street sign. He was wearing hakamas of different red hues with bright gold embroidery which made the goldness of his tan skin all the more striking looking. A swirling orange sun adorned his forehead thought he rest of his skin was unmarked.

A young man and a woman walked each a pace behind and on each side of him. The woman had moon kissed grey and white hair, her eyes were a bluish silver, though not the icy blue of Fubuki, these were a soft pearly grey blue that looked almost velvety. One silver stripe adorned her left cheek, running from her hear to her chin and a light blue almost too pale to see sun adorned her brow. Her robes were of flowing silvers and light blues accentuating her pale complexion.

The young man was obviously the northern lord's son because he was the spitting image of his father, though paler and with more orangish hair. He was a few inches shorter and wore more elaborate hakamas than his father with loads of gold and silver embroidery. His lightly tanned skin had no marks except for a stripe exactly like his mother's though as red as his father's hair and no mark at all on his brow.

Finally behind the family walked a man who was taller than the northern lord and Sesshomaru by a good inch or so. The first thing that Kagome noticed was he had a single oddly shaped horn protruding an inch or two from the very center of his forehead. It slightly curved upward and was a light yellow color. All around his face and on the tops of his hands were maroon colored scales and his hair was a mop of unruly pure white hair that could only be described as a mane in appearance because it was thick and ran down his neck to drape halfway down his back. He wore no nonsense clothing that looked appropriate for fighting though he wore no armor. A long thin tail swished behind him as he walked and the very end of it sported a tuft of hair the same color as his mane. The hands hanging lightly at his sides were three fingered and his feet sported cloven hooves, though his legs bent the correct way. Large brown eyes took everything in and she was sure he knew everything there was to know about his surroundings moments after he had entered.

"Sesshomaru," the northern lord finally spoke, bringing the miko's attention back to him, "we wish to congratulate you on your victory on the battlefield and would like to thank you for your generous hospitality in sharing your home with my family," the whole family bowed at the waist then and the man behind them bowed more deeply as fitting his station.

"I would like to introduce my family," gesturing to the woman who stepped forward and took his hand, "this is my wife Lady Hoshiko," turning to his other side and gesturing to the young man who stepped forward, "and this is my son and heir, Toshi." The young man bowed low to the western lord, though when his eyes rested on Kagome they sparked with something akin to disgust and bewilderment that a ningen would stand in a place of honor with one of the ruling lords. "Behind the family is my most trusted advisor and the general of my armies, Kisho," the general bowed low once again, lowering his eyes in respect before returning to his former position.

Sesshomaru watched boredly while the introductions were made wishing briefly that it was time for everyone to leave and not arrive. Turning slightly he gestured to Kagome who took a step forward, though remained still slightly behind him since she wasn't the western lady and had no right to take a place at his side. The little miko managed not to tremble and she regarded them with a convincingly cool expression.

"This is the Lady miko Kagome," all eyes fell on her and she was hard pressed not to fidget or tremble, "she is the miko responsible for the death of the hanyou Naraku and is now the head priestess in my employ," he dropped his hand and went back to looking bored.

"Ah, we have heard much about you, little one," Takehiko spoke up staring at the miko with the intensity of a hawk, "rumors of your powers have reached the four corners of the lands. Perhaps if you are willing you will give us a demonstration later this evening?" he asked and Kagome was certain there was more behind his suggestion than mere interest. Toshi sneered slightly and she ignored them both in preference to bowing to the red headed demon.

"I would be honored if it pleases my lord," she said respectfully, though inwardly she was trembling like a leaf. Give a demonstration! Hopefully Sesshomaru would decline, though at the moment he seemed neither inclined to accept nor deny… or do anything at all for that matter. He simply stood there looking bored.

Inside the taiyoukai's head however, there was much going on. His beast was purring madly at the miko's performance, especially since somehow he was able to pick up on the intense feelings of annoyance and indignation rolling off the woman. She was not enjoying her role at all and he was secretly taking much amusement at her expense.

"My servants will escort you to your rooms and you will be free to spend your time as you wish before dinner is served. The eastern lady should be arrive in a matter of hours," turning he walked smoothly back into the palace, followed by Kagome and her handmaiden. Servants rushed forward to take care of the northern family and once out of sight and hearing distance, Kagome allowed herself a small sigh. Turning briefly, the taiyoukai nodded curtly to her in dismissal and headed off to his study, no doubt to hide from all the chaos. Great. Sighing more heavily this time, she and Akiko made their way to the kitchens to make sure all was in order.

When they arrived, Akiko took over the preparations and was overseeing the cooking of dinner to make sure everything would be ready on time. Kagome laid a small hand on her friend's arm.

"Akiko, I'm going to run quickly to the guest wing to check in with the one you left in charge to make sure the northern family is comfortable. Akiko nodded slowly, though she didn't like the idea of the miko being out of her sight even for a moment. Glancing down at the sword on the girl's hip as she exited though, she knew the girl would be safe enough.

Kagome quickly made her way to the guest wing, using the servant passages and met up with the servant in charge. Speaking with him briefly, he assured her that all was in hand and that she could just relax. _Right_, she thought sarcastically. Stepping into the hall, she was met with a flurry of servants carrying the northern family's belongings and wondered briefly if they were moving in or just staying for a few days. Skirting the chaos, she quickly made her way down the hallway, heading back to the kitchens.

Suddenly the girl felt a strange tingling along her neck and through natural instinct, before she could blink or even consider what it was a bright pink barrier flew up around her and she was rewarded with a sharp yelp and the sound of burning flesh. Instincts still in place, she dove forward slightly and came up with one of her daggers that had been hidden in her obi and whirled around to face her attacker.

Takehiko's son, Toshi stood there holding his burnt hand and glaring yellow daggers at the tiny miko. Though he was shorter than Sesshomaru, she found it disconcerting to find him standing there looking down at her with such a look of disdain on his young though handsome features.

"Toshi-san, my apologies, I did not realize it was you there," she said with a small bow at the waist, "was there something you needed my assistance with?" she asked using the politest tone she could muster and smiling up at him despite her trepidation. She was positive he had been up to no good and had desired ill for her.

The nobleman glanced down at his burnt fingers before his eyes slid back to the woman's face, his expression hiding none of the disdain or contempt he felt for her.

"A _ningen woman_ stands at the side of the lord of the western lands," he stated in none to kind of a voice making Kagome want to shiver.

"I do not stand at his side, that would imply courtship or a relationship. I merely serve him as a miko to the best of my abilities," she returned gently wishing she could purify his disgusted little face off. He let out an ungentlemanly snort.

"As if a _ningen_ whore would be of any use to a taiyoukai," he sneered.

"Well if your nose is that bad that you cannot tell the difference between someone who is pure and someone who is a whore then one would have to wonder about your own useful skills, Toshi-san," she retorted, her temper beginning to shimmer in her blue eyes and her aura beginning to surface around her.

Toshi was slightly taken aback by the wave of rather uncomfortable power he felt pulse from the girl, but he sneered down at her, convinced she knew nothing about controlling them.

A servant hurried up just then and interrupted them, informing Kagome that the eastern lady had arrived early and that her presence was requested immediately. Nodding briefly, she turned back to the arrogant young man and bowed only slightly.

"Well, Toshi-san, perhaps if it pleases Sesshomaru-sama, I can give you a demonstration. However, right now it will have to wait," giving him a cold look, she turned on her heel and followed the servant out.

Toshi was completely baffled by the human's attitude toward him. She had been exceedingly polite, however he'd had a small glimpse of the fiery woman beneath and he wasn't too sure he liked that. Frowning to himself before turning back to his rooms, he realized she had the attitude of a demoness.

Kagome hurried out into the courtyard, she had been informed that Sesshomaru and Takehiko were currently closed up in his study talking something over and that she alone was to greet the eastern lady. Grumbling silently to herself she waited for the eastern lady to arrive.

She was waiting a bare few minutes before the gates opened to admit the lady from the ocean kingdom. A lady, barely as tall as she herself came walking in and Kagome had to resist the urge to stare. The woman looked nothing like a ruling lady. Her small frame was adorned with a simple hakama instead of an ornate kimono, her hair in a simple, though decorated ponytail, the extraordinarily long teal hair waving gently with her short strides. The hakama was all the colors of the ocean and complimented her deep ocean green eyes perfectly. A katana rested on each hip and she walked with a purposeful step instead of small ladylike choppy steps.

A tall woman stood behind her, her yellow green hair was also pulled into a ponytail and her own hakama was of a similar green, her light blue green eyes were large, though guarded.

The small woman stopped inside the gate, her entourage halting behind her and she bowed deeply and respectfully to the miko, though staring at her appraisingly at the same time, obviously having expected something completely different.

"I am Lady Yoko, current ruler of the eastern kingdom since my husband's unfortunate demise. This is my former husband's general and trusted advisor, Kameko," the taller woman bowed deeply, her eyes never leaving the dark haired woman. Kagome bowed to them both as befitting her station and spread her arms in welcome, almost immediately warming up to the ocean ruler.

"Welcome to the western lands, Yoko-sama, I would like to apologize for Sesshomaru-sama's absence, he is currently in a meeting with Takehiko-sama who arrived earlier today with his family," Yoko nodded politely and Kagome gestured for the woman and her group to follow her.

Yoko fell into step beside the woman and Kagome politely inquired about their trip to which Yoko was more than willing to share the details and chat politely. Kagome couldn't help but feel kinship with the young ruler and knew that the two of them would get along just fine. Too bad things weren't quite so simple with the northern family.

Leaving them in the capable hands of her army of servants, she excused herself and retired to her rooms. It felt weird to walk around so much without Akiko shadowing her every step, but she was relieved to have some time to herself.

Thoughts about the upcoming evening were most prevalent in her thoughts as she flopped onto her futon. How was she ever going to survive? Too bad she was indeed a mere ningen… she could use demon stamina about now.


	26. Chapter 26

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Well! I got it done in time:) I've had alotta double shifts lately and my weekend wasn't as relaxing as I had originally hoped. Oh well. Anyways, this chapter doesn't have a whole lot in it, just some revelations and a few cutsie stuffus. Remember R&R! Reviews give me motivation!

Thank you for all the awesome reviews by the way! You guys are so cool!

Chapter 26

Kagome was up earlier than almost everyone else to ensure that she would get some time to spend in the dojo with Sho. She felt she had been shirking her training while preparing for the noble families arrivals and now all she had to do was play hostess and let her army of servants do the rest. _Oh… excuse me, Sesshomaru-SAMA's army of servants. _Rolling her eyes sarcastically, she entered the dojo wearing her traditional miko attire and smiled brightly at the kitsune. Sho couldn't help but smile back. The woman was infectious.

Fubuki padded in behind her followed closely by Akiko who both settled themselves over against a wall to observe and protect their lady. Akiko sat down elegantly on the floor and was taken aback to have a very large kitty head flop into her lap, massive fangs grinning up at her before flipping back over to watch his master with intent icy eyes. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she laid one on his neck and the other behind one of his pert, twitching ears.

The miko and the captain ran through a series of exercises to help them warm up in the damp and chill morning air. The sun had not quite risen yet and the morning fog still hung heavily about the grounds.

Sho then began attacking Kagome using his demon speed and forcing her to try and figure out where he was going to strike next. One moment he would disappear completely from before her only to show up right next to her and catch her in the ribs with a wooden knife.

The small woman had learned however that though she may not possess the senses necessary, she was in possession of senses far greater. Her miko powers were a defensive power where as youkai power was offensive. Therefore, if she simply stretched out her miko powers to feel the youki of her opponent, the youki would tell her if she listened correctly where and when he was going to attack next.

Crossing her arms in front of her and blocking to the side, she managed to deflect two attacks before spinning around and ducking under a kick. A quick burst of speed put the kitsune off balance and she managed to score her first hit on his abdomen since their training had begun. Sho grinned at the miko and she smiled in return.

"That was good," he said with enthusiasm, "how did you learn to improve your senses so vastly? You shouldn't have been able to block that let alone hit me," he said and Kagome ran an embarrassed hand through her bangs.

"Oh, I figured out how to use my miko senses instead of my human ones. It's just taken me this long to learn what the different changes in your youki mean. Your youki announces what you plan to do before you do it and I can use that to judge where you will be and when," Sho gave her a slightly confused look.

"I thought I was suppressing my youki," he said quietly and Kagome nodded vigorously.

"To another demon you were, but I'm not a demon who uses my youki to detect yours. I'm a miko with the polar opposite powers of yours. It's a little harder for you to completely hide from me," she said with a sheepish grin. A big smile broke out on his face.

"Brilliant! This is just what I expected to see from you! Now let's see how well your little theory works shall we?" he asked moving into position. "Perhaps that was just a lucky shot," he teased her, his emerald eyes sparkling.

"No way, buster, I'll knock you all around this dojo," she replied with a grin.

Yoko wandered into the dojo that morning to find a kitsune who was fading in and out all around the room, though centered around the little miko who had greeted her at the gate. The human miko in question stood her ground with her eyes half hooded and a weird sort of energy shimmered around her. Suddenly she would move and to the astonished eyes of the ocean lady actually block the attack of the kitsune.

Then to her further astonishment, the kitsune faded into vision right next to the miko and attempted a strike at her midsection. The girl had already whirled to face him, planted a hand in his chest and thrown her weight forward, toppling the little kitsune. His look was one of shock as he hit the floor hard and Kagome scored a killing blow to his neck on the way down.

Immediately she jumped off him and offered him her hand.

"Gomen if I hurt you, Sho-san!" the captain regained his feet with a laugh.

"That was a good one, Kagome-san! I was not expecting that at all!" Even more unnerving to the eastern ruler, the woman then turned to the door and bowed low to her.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Yoko-sama" she greeted the lady, "Gomen if we have disturbed your rest with our noise," the demoness ruler had been impressed with the young woman the day before for her poise and the hint of power shimmering under the surface, though now she downright respected the girl. True, she was human, but she was no ordinary human. Leave it to Sesshomaru to find and keep the one human woman who acted exactly like a demoness. She carried herself with pride and had obviously survived a household of demon servants who now obeyed her every wish. No easy feat, even for a demoness.

Now she finds the girl up in the wee hours of the morning practicing combat with what appears to be a very talented assassin kitsune who obviously holds high rank in Sesshomaru's army. Indeed this was a woman of wonders. _I wonder what else she can do?_

"I slept fabulously, Kagome-sama, and no, your practicing didn't bother me. I was actually hoping for some practice myself," she said gesturing to the twin katanas on her hips. "That was a marvelous show, by the way, Kagome-sama," she said with a genuine look of surprise and admiration, "your skills obviously surpass many of those of your race." Kagome blushed slightly and bowed.

"Thank you, Yoko-sama, it is quite a compliment for you to bother to bestow on one such as myself," Yoko waved her off.

"Nonsense, while we're on the subject of your amazing abilities, tell me, what else are you capable of?" she asked, her ocean green eyes sparkling with interest. Yes, Kagome was sure she would get along just fine with this woman. Sho watched in amusement the play between the two females.

"Well, originally my weapon of choice had been the bow and arrow as was fitting my station as a miko, however, after the battle with Naraku, Sesshomaru had decided that it wasn't quite enough for me," she said, a slight rolling of her eyes slipping out before she could stop it and Yoko laughed heartily.

"That sounds just like him, the arrogant bastard," Sho grew a little pale at that and Kagome grinned widely.

"So I learned swordsmanship from him for only a short while before…he had to leave and come back to attend to his lands. I found a different teacher for a long time and continued to learn before I returned here actually by accident and Sesshomaru has made a place on his staff for me," she finished and Yoko nodded.

"So how strong are your miko powers?" the lady asked curiously and Kagome gave her a lopsided grin.

"Would you like to find out?" she asked challengingly and a fire lit up in ocean blue green eyes.

"I believe I will accept the challenge," Sho groaned slightly and moved to the side and Yoko regarded him in amusement, "I take it you have been the brunt of such powers at some point?" she asked him with a chuckle. A pained nod was her answer.

"Just don't get her mad at you," he said and ducked the look of evil Kagome sent his way.

"I'll have to keep that in mind," they stepped into the middle of the floor and Yoko looked her over briefly. "Do you plan on defending yourself against my swords barehanded, Kagome-sama?" she asked curiously because she could see no sword in the sheath at the girl's side. Kagome shook her head negative for a moment with a small smile on her lips. Holding out her hand to her servant and the large cat lounging to one side of the room she spoke with command in her voice.

"Fubuki," was all she said. The massive cat leapt off the servant's lap and faded into white smoke in mid air to pool in a cloud around the miko's outstretched hand. Moments later a gleaming katana of silvers, whites and blues rested in the girl's hand and Yoko couldn't help but be impressed.

"You possess a sentient sword and you have enough control over it to let him wander in a mortal form?" Kagome nodded with a grin and the demoness shook her head with a grin of her own. "This will indeed be interesting." The woman dropped into a crouch and Kagome stood in a swordsmen's stance waiting for the woman to make the first move, her energy shimmering around her extending her senses. Her newfound senses were as of yet untested in a sword fight and Kagome shoved the nervous flutters in her stomach to the side.

Too fast to see the woman lunged forward and attempted a scissor strike, Kagome blocked and slid the blades upward, using the momentum of the other woman to send her flying over her own head, turning to face her as the demoness touched down and launched again. The ringing sound of swords sang through the morning air as they attacked, blocked, pivoted, parried, slid and danced. Kagome remained on the defensive because the demoness was impossibly fast, though not as strong as others. Her main advantage was being small, lightning fast and possessing two blades. The miko had her hands full in defending herself.

Yoko managed to slip through the girl's defenses and landed a hit on her left bicep drawing blood. Akiko and Sho stiffened and Kagome's eyes were hidden by her bangs as she looked down at the small injury. The air shimmered with power around the girl and Yoko took a step back wondering just what this girl actually was. A low growl reached the sensitive ears of all present and all eyes were on the miko.

"First blood drawn," Kagome looked up, deep blue challenging ocean green, "shall we continue? No holds barred?" Yoko was surprised but returned a feral grin, showing off her pointed fangs.

"Sounds like a blast, I haven't had this much fun in a long time," she replied but Sho jumped in between the ladies with his arms pin wheeling.

"Not inside the dojo!" he insisted, a look of sheer panic on his features. He knew how angry his lordship would be if they harmed the beautiful training building.

"In the courtyard then!" Yoko yelled as she disappeared out the door. Kagome followed quickly to find Yoko standing across the open ground waiting for her. The little miko surprised her by attacking first. A flare of pink energy erupted around her sword and she threw a small pulse at the woman, making her dodge to the side and into her sword range. The two women clashed madly, blades flashing in the soft light and the mist swirling around their dancing feet.

Takehiko and Sesshomaru were headed at a lazy pace down the hallway, discussing some of the matters they had covered the day before when the ringing sound of metal on metal reached their ears. A sudden pulse of miko energy danced across Sesshomaru's nerves and the two lords spared one another a brief glance before picking up their pace and heading in the direction of the courtyard where the sounds were coming from.

"Kagome is fighting someone, though I do not feel any anger in her aura," Sesshomaru drolled and Takehiko shook his head.

"No, though I would like to see this none the less," he responded with a lopsided grin and Sesshomaru had to resist the urge to smack the man, "I do hope it's my son and that she's wiping the courtyard with his sorry ass," he finished and Sesshomaru couldn't help but agree.

Entering the courtyard quietly so as not to disturb the combatants they found the two ladies dancing around one another in the pale light of the rising sun. The twin katanas flashed pink in contrast to the icy blue flash of Fubuki and they were so focused on one another that they did not see the two men arrive.

Kagome whirled around as Yoko twisted in a midair strike and attempted to catch the miko off guard, bringing her off hand blade to bear while Fubuki was tangled with her forehand blade. The miko felt the shift in energy and threw out her off hand, keeping a firm grip on Fubuki, twisting him to either make Yoko drop her sword or force her to the ground and catching her other blade in her bare hand. Deep breaths were taken by most watching, expecting to see blood dripping from the miko's hand, but her hand repelled the blade instead of actually touching it, a small pink barrier glowing around the outstretched hand.

Every one visibly relaxed except for Sesshomaru who hadn't changed at all from his usual look of boredom, though he watched her with intense interest. She had improved greatly and he couldn't stop the swell of pride that rose within him.

A pair of growls rose up from the women as they faced off again and their swords clashed.

"Are you quite sure she's a human?" Takehiko leaned close to the taiyoukai at his side and whispered so only Sesshomaru could hear him. The white haired demon nodded.

"Oh, she's definitely human," he responded, his bored tone making Takehiko glance at him in annoyance.

Kagome could feel herself tiring and knew this had to end sometime soon. Giving the woman across from her a feral grin she was pleased to see the ocean eyes grow wider and she growled out a single phrase.

"No holds barred," she repeated and Yoko threw herself into an attack, hoping to keep the miko from doing whatever it was she planned on. Before the woman had even begun to move, Fubuki had frosted over and a bright white light enveloped the blade. Sesshomaru was tempted to stop her, but decided against it. It was time the lords and ladies knew just how powerful his little miko was.

Kagome brought the blade to bear and too late the demoness felt the swell of power. Crossing her blades in front of her, she erected a demon barrier just as the sentient sword came down with a cry from the miko of "Kaze no koori!" The barrier held, but just barely as an onslaught of blizzard energy smashed into her, forcing her some distance back, her feet sliding on the dirt in an attempt to hold out against the attack.

As the winds died down her barrier dropped and she fell to her knees breathing hard. Who knew a human miko would be capable of delivering such an attack! Yoko lifted her eyes to her opponent across the broken and frost covered ground to find her down on one knee as well and realized that the fight had drained the woman more than she had shown. Yet she had still been capable of sending off an attack like that.

Kagome sheathed her sword and rose, walking stiffly schooling her heavy breathing to a more manageable level the whole way over to the still kneeling demoness and extended both hands to her.

"My apologies, I hope you were not hurt, Yoko-sama," she said and Yoko was taken back by the genuine apology and the look of pure openness and friendliness in the girl's face. Who was this girl and how did she manage to survive!

Sheathing her own weapons she took the miko's small calloused hands and stood as well, bowing slightly once her hands were released.

"I admit defeat, your ladyship," she said with a small grin, "I had no idea you were capable of so much, we will have to have a rematch sometime so I may regain my honor!" she said with a quickly widening grin. Kagome smiled back.

"I would like that very much, how about a quick visit to the hot springs before we join the others at breakfast?" just then Kagome got a familiar tingle up the back of her neck and she looked over to the door of the courtyard to find the two lords standing there along with Toshi who had shown up only shortly after the lords had. Bowing low to them she straightened and looked at them as if nothing had happened.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, my lords," she said and Yoko gave a small bow as well, "breakfast will be ready in less than an hour," she said and Takehiko was the only one who nodded.

"Well, my dear, that was quite impressive," he said straightening up from his position leaning on the door jam, Kagome didn't even blush as he had expected; she simply dropped her head in a bow of acceptance before straightening again.

"Thank you, your lordship, you are too kind," she said, "now if you will excuse Yoko-sama and I, we have things we must attend to," with another low bow she gestured for Yoko to follow her and the women made their way out of the courtyard, disappearing down the halls. Takehiko turned to his host.

"You have quite the little fire cat living here with you!" he chuckled. "She thought I was making fun of her with my compliment," he added and Sesshomaru slanted a look at the youkai out of the corner of his eye.

"She has every reason to. She is a ningen and she has had to fight for her own place in my palace. The miko did not get where she is now with any assistance save the availability of combat trainers. She continues to live or die by her own choices. If a human wishes to be respected by my court then they have to gain that respect on their own." Takehiko's yellow eyes twinkled.

"What a cruel man you are, Sesshomaru," the taiyoukai in question gave him a duh look before turning away to return to his study, followed by the other demon. Toshi still stood where he had before staring with unseeing eyes into the courtyard.

The lady Yoko was known for her warrior skills and it was exactly why she had been chosen by the eastern lord as a mate. Now he had just witnessed a mere ningen miko win a sparring match against such a formidable female. True, it had been a fight against a female who was naturally inferior to a male, but still, it was a warrior demoness. His disdain was quickly turning to curiosity and he couldn't help but wonder what else the miko had in store to surprise them with.

"Kagome-sama! That was so impressive!" Yoko was bursting with excitement once they were out of sight of the lords. Kagome gave her a small grin and blushed a little.

"Oh, it wasn't that good, you did after all draw the first blood, Yoko-sama," the little miko insisted, trying to downplay her own performance, but Yoko wouldn't have any of it.

"You will no longer use any suffixes other than 'chan' around me unless propriety says you have to… like at the ball," she said with a grin and Kagome nodded.

"Then the same goes for you, Yoko-chan," Yoko grinned and nodded vigorously. Scooping up the miko's arm in her own, they continued side by side toward the hot springs with Akiko and Yoko's servants scrambling to gather their ladies bathing materials.

"Now, Kagome-chan, you will tell me everything there is to know about you! I want all the little details and everything!" Yoko insisted, her eyes gleaming happily. The life of a lady is a lonely one and she was now convinced she had found a rare gem. Kagome hesitated for a moment before smiling back at the older demoness.

"Well, you will have to forgive me if I leave some details out. I cannot tell you where I am from because it's for my own safety. If someone were to overhear and desire harm for me, it could result in some very bad things for me," Kagome said sadly. She was being as truthful with her new friend as possible and to her surprise, Yoko nodded solemnly back at her.

"I understand completely, there are some things I couldn't share with you as well as lady of the eastern lands, but thank you for being so honest with me!" she insisted, a smile returning to her features. "I want to know all the juicy details about you and Sesshomaru, the ice prince!" she exclaimed, her grin taking in her whole face. Kagome looked at her in shock.

"There _are_ no juicy details about his lordship and I!" she exclaimed, a dark blush staining her cheeks and Yoko pounced on her.

"Then why is your face so red! Oh it must have been good! Tell me all about it!" she said excitedly and Kagome couldn't help but laugh merrily as the girls entered the hot springs.

As the girls soaked in the water, the eastern lady weaseled it out of the little miko that once upon a time she had been traveling with Sesshomaru's younger half brother and some friends. With a glowing face she described all her good friends to the teal haired woman who laughed at their antics and thoroughly enjoyed every one of the stories.

The smile faded from the young human's face when she got to the part about Naraku and the final battle. Slowly with a face turned down toward the water and her bangs shielding her eyes, she told the demoness about the deaths of her friends and adopted son.

To her intense shock, she suddenly felt damp, feminine arms encircle her and pull her in close for a hug. The little miko returned the hug before the demoness pulled back.

"You are indeed an extraordinary woman," she said, brushing bangs back from the young girl's face, "you adopted a kitsune and he in return looked upon you as his adoptive mother. It's hard enough for a demoness to take over the role of an orphaned demon child, but you did it seemingly without any trouble at all." Ocean blue green eyes studied the rich blue ones before her.

Suddenly Kagome jumped up out of the water with a whoosh and a massive splash, surprising the eastern lady and completely soaking her.

"Yoko-chan! We will be late for breakfast!" Kagome exclaimed her eyes going wide. Yoko leapt from the hot spring and their servants descended upon them, drying them, tying them into robes and hurrying them off to their rooms. Yoko branched off to her own room with a wave and a promise they'd meet in the hallway and go down together as Akiko bustled her lady into her own room.

Lightning fast, the cat demoness dried and dressed her lady, giving Kagome barely any time at all to notice what it was that she was being dressed in. It was when Akiko was dressing the girl's hair that she had the chance to explain.

"The miko outfit you have on is a gift from his lordship," she said as Kagome stared down in awe at the outfit. It wasn't made of the usual wool, but of something much softer and much more supple. The pants were a blue that matched her eyes with tiny little koi fish in orange and reds dancing along the hems to curl up slightly toward her knees. Her miko shirt was a soft cream and had ocean embroidery along the hems of the sleeves, the waves following the underside line of the sleeve to her elbow. The work was exquisite and she had to wonder why Sesshomaru would give her such a gift. He knew she hated kimonos, so maybe he decided on a compromise?

Akiko hurried her lady out the door and into the hallway where Yoko waited for her. The demoness nodded, satisfied with her friend's performance because she herself had only been waiting in the hall a few moments. The two women sprinted down the hallway, and Yoko kept a firm hand on Kagome's arm, to help keep her steps lighter and faster.

Despite their attempts at being quiet, everyone sitting in the dining hall heard the patter of two sets of feet as they came sprinting down the hall and skidded to a stop in front of the door. To Sesshomaru's intense surprise, he had trouble determining which set of feet belonged to which female. Momentarily the door opened to find everyone already in their seats and staring at the two women with mixed looks. Sesshomaru bore into Kagome with a look of boredom that she knew was one of displeasure; Takehiko watched them in amusement with Hoshiko sitting by his side regarding the ladies with a curious look. Kisho sat off to the side, down the table from the rest of the family with Yoko's general Kameko. Toshi's eyes glittered in amusement and interest as the yellow orbs rested on the human, though the look was lost on her, her eyes barely even took in the others though had rested on Sesshomaru for quite some time.

The ladies took their seats and Sesshomaru had to resist the urge to stare at his miko. The outfit he had picked for her suited her perfectly. She looked every bit the lady without losing her freedom or her identity. His beast purred deeply within him, pleased at how the miko looked in the lord's gift and he couldn't help but agree with it. The blues in the miko attire greatly accentuated her eyes and hair highlights and she practically glowed in the soft light of the morning.

Sesshomaru forced his attention off of her and onto the guests who were now eating breakfast with the occasional chatter and quiet morning talk.

"Since all of us are here at this moment, then this is the proper time to announce this," Sesshomaru began, his voice sounding bored as ever and his eyes slightly hooded in what appeared to be annoyance as he sipped his tea, the table in front of him bare of any food. "Matsu of the cat tribe has announced his claim on the southern lands and will be traveling here to be judged by the ruling lords and ladies to see if he is fit to rule the lands in the south." The entire room went silent and Kagome couldn't help but notice that Akiko's eyes went impossibly wide from her place by the wall when the name of the hopeful lord was brought up.

"Therefore, I am postponing the celebrational ball until after his arrival. He is traveling today and should arrive in the morning, so the ball is now scheduled for tomorrow night," Sesshomaru said with finality. "We will need to make a decision regarding him before then and make an announcement at the celebration as to whether or not he will be the next southern lord." Sesshomaru raised his cup to his lips and fell silent as conversation erupted all over the room. Obviously everyone save Kagome knew who Matsu was, so she remained silent and picked at her food instead. Though she pretended not to notice, she felt Sesshomaru's eyes resting on her for lengthy periods of time before he would look away for a while and then return his eyes to rest on her.

Briefly, she wondered what he was thinking when he looked at her, but silently, she agreed with herself that she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know yet. It probably involved beating her into a pulp or something violent such as that. One never knew with an odd taiyoukai like Sesshomaru.


	27. Chapter 27

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Yay! I got it done in time! X3 Little bit of Kagome and Sesshomaru interaction in this one... we're winding up to some good stuffus so keep your pants on everyone! XD There's more to this story though than just fluff, so I'll be throwing some in here and there, but there's more story to come too.

R&R:)

Chapter 27

Once breakfast was finished, Kagome and Yoko rose to excuse themselves to take a walk in the gardens and offered an invitation for Hoshiko to join them, though the woman declined in favor of retiring to her rooms. The two women were barely out of sight of the dining hall before Yoko launched in on Kagome again.

"Now, young lady! You never told me any of the juicy details between you and Mr. Icicle!" Kagome blanched slightly before stifling a giggle at the appropriate nickname for the taiyoukai as the two women stepped into the gardens with a dutiful Akiko following silently in their wake.

"Oh, you make too much of it!" Kagome insisted, her face aflame, "there _are_ no juicy details!" she insisted again and the eastern lady narrowed her eyes at the little miko making her blush more.

"You're a horrible liar! Now out with it or I'll go and tell Sesshomaru that you've dreamt about him in his undergarments!" to the oceanic lady's utter confusion the little miko's face went strangely blank before she burst out laughing and doubled over, holding her sides with the sheer force of her outburst. Yoko raised an eyebrow at the girl wondering what was so funny while the girl got herself under control, wiping her eyes with small fingers before she was capable of responding.

"Oh, Yoko-chan! You have no idea how close to reality your threat is! Although it doesn't do you much good because he already knows!" Another peal of laughter escaped the miko and Yoko's eyes grew impossibly wide.

"You've dreamt of him in his undergarments!" she asked aghast, never dreaming the innocent miko would have such amusingly dirty thoughts. Once she was under control again, the miko deigned to explain herself.

"Not quite, though actually worse," Yoko stared at her, waiting for her to continue, "you see, right after the final battle with Naraku, he brought me to my home because I was badly injured. My home is very different from here and his curiosity was peaked, so he stayed with me for a while. During his stay, for some unknown reason, I had the most appalling dream about him running around giggling like a school girl and stripping out of all of his clothing," Kagome swallowed another bout of laughter at the look on Yoko's face. The woman's jaw would hit the grass if her mouth was any wider and her eyes were as big as saucers. Her jaw worked itself, opening and closing a few times, though no sound came out and she looked curiously a lot like a fish out of water.

"KAGOME-CHAN! …. That makes for very interesting mental images you know…" a huge grin broke over the woman's features before she completely dissolved into giggles.

"The worst part is, the next morning I was grumpy because of the dream and not paying attention, so when I walked in the kitchen and saw him sitting at the table staring at me, all I could think of was the silly version of him giggling and throwing his clothing everywhere with me chasing him and trying to cover him with a blanket!" Yoko had collapsed on the grass at this point and was howling with laughter, holding her sides as if they were about to burst open.

"Oh, my Kami! What did you do?" she asked between pants. Kagome swallowed another peal of laughter before responding.

"I fell on the floor laughing," Yoko was rolling again.

"Oh no! He must have been furious!" she said giggling madly at the mental picture this produced.

"He actually seemed more confused than anything else. Especially when I finally realized the danger of my situation. I had just walked into the kitchen where a very dangerous taiyoukai was enjoying his morning coffee and randomly stared at him as if he had two heads… or was running around giggling and stripping… and fell on the floor laughing. So I stopped laughing abruptly, picked myself up and walked out of the room so that I could make a better entrance." Yoko was turning a few interesting shades of red and Kagome ferverently hoped the woman was getting enough air.

"So I walked back into the kitchen as if nothing had happened and went to prepare my coffee. Turning around I was face to face with a very irritated demon who has very sharp and poisonous claws on both hands and he inquired quite politely I might add as to what the hell I was laughing at. Eventually he managed to weasel it out of me, though I have no idea how he understood what I said because I believe I said something to the effect of 'Imeanwhowouldn't?,',Imeanitwasadream,right?'" Kagome stopped her narration so Yoko could actually take a few breaths to regain her circulation since it had stopped due to lack of air.

"Though the look on his face when my words actually sunk in was priceless," Kagome took on a very serious look and Yoko stopped laughing in order to look up at the woman curiously.

"So what did you do?" she asked.

"I did what any normal miko would do when faced with a very dangerous youkai who was about to get very angry in a few moments," she said solemnly and Yoko breathed in slightly thinking she was going to say something serious like 'seal him,' or something. "I squealed like a little girl and ran away and locked myself in the bathroom," Kagome finished and Yoko was rolling again.

"Oh, Kami, that's priceless!" Yoko panted between giggles. Akiko for her own part was having problems holding her laughter back in front of the lady of the east. She had never heard this particular story, nor had the priestess talked much about her past experiences with the taiyoukai and this was very interesting indeed. When the teal haired lady finally schooled her giggles to a manageable level she sat up and her ocean blue green eyes twinkled up at the miko who then plopped down onto the grass next to the older woman.

"So I guess threatening you with that won't exactly work then, huh?" Kagome shook her head with a grin and the demoness sighed in defeat. "I guess you'll just have to fess up then because if not then I'll find other more creative ways of making you talk," the human woman blanched slightly as the demon woman grinned ferally before breaking into laughter.

"I'm afraid if you wanted to know something of that nature we'd have to talk somewhere else. I don't think his lordship would appreciate me talking about something like that when it would be possible to be overheard," the little miko responded and Yoko nodded glumly.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she said with a defeated shrug of her shoulders before grinning mischievously at the young woman. "I'll just have to weasel it out of you at a more appropriate time!" Kagome groaned as her new friend laughed evilly.

A short distance away, two youkai stood at the window to the taiyoukai's study, watching and listening to the two women. Takehiko turned and regarded the taller man almost smugly with a small chuckle.

"How undignified, the little miko dreams about you in such an unseemingly manner!" he chuckled and Sesshomaru leveled him with a look of death which he promptly ignored in favor of staring off into space. "Although I must say, I am slightly jealous… except for the whole 'giggling like a school girl' part… though I don't know what a school girl is, I know what giggling is and all in all it doesn't sound flattering!"

Sesshomaru wanted to strangle both the lord and the little miko. He and Takehiko had been discussing the very irksome miko when loud, boisterous laughter had floated to them from the window overlooking the gardens. Their sojourn to the window to discover what the disturbance was resulted in Takehiko overhearing the entire story and thoroughly enjoying himself at Sesshomaru's expense.

Returning from the window, they settled back down to discuss matters dealing with Matsu and the southern lands. After an hour or so of debating and weighing their options, Takehiko finally excused himself so he could go and find his wife and his son.

Sitting back at his desk, Sesshomaru signaled to a servant and curtly instructed them to bring the little miko to him at once. The servant beat a hasty retreat from the study at the sight of his lordship's icy demeanor (though you'd think they'd be used to it after working for him for a while) and quickly returned with the girl in tow.

Kagome for her part was a little nervous. A servant had popped up out of nowhere during her walk with Yoko and insisted that Sesshomaru wanted to see her at once. Excusing herself, she followed the servant back toward his study wondering the whole way why he would so suddenly ask to see her. Her presence was announced and the servant slid the door open at his command to enter before closing it behind her with what sounded like a final blow to Kagome. She stood there waiting for the lord to acknowledge her presence before sitting down.

Pretending to read the paper he seemed to be so engrossed in, he waved with one elegantly clawed hand for her to sit and wait for him to be finished. Kagome sat on the cushion he'd indicated and stared at him pointedly, refusing to be bullied into being nervous and look at anything in the room but him. The youkai wanted to laugh out loud at the girl's obvious irritation with the way he was acting, but chose to stare at his paper boredly instead.

Finally, after what seemed like forever of staring at the gorgeous youkai, not that she minded terribly, he set the paper down and slid his amber eyes up to regard her through his silver bangs instead of raising his head and Kagome swore he did it just to make her blush.

The room suddenly became way too warm for the young girl and she resisted the urge to squirm, hoping her face didn't show any of what she was thinking. His eyes dropped to the desk to hide the amusement twinkling in them at the slow, tantalizingly pink flush that had spread across her cheekbones and he sat back, steepling his claws before him and studying them intently.

"So, I hear you have been telling Yoko-sama… stories," he said, his gold eyes never leaving his fingertips that each sported a long deadly claw which he suddenly decided to take to ticking together in the most unnerving manner. The little miko before him did an amazing job of sitting still, though the flush on her cheeks deepened slightly and the taiyoukai realized just how much he had missed seeing that.

"Uh… what stories do you mean, Sesshomaru?" little fingers began picking at the embroidery on the sleeve before remembering how expensive it was and taking to creasing the fabric between her fingertips instead. Leaning forward, he locked his golden gaze on her intently and folded his hands on his desk, looking for the world like a teacher who caught his student passing notes in class.

"I don't know, why don't you ask Takehiko-sama?" he asked somewhat icily, though Kagome caught a small twinkle in the amber depths, "he seemed to be quite amused by some of the things he heard…" the silver head tilted slightly and his bangs fell across his forehead in such an enticing way that her mouth went dry.

Lifting her chin and gathering her thoughts back where they should be, she glared down at the taiyoukai who was still leaning forward on his desk and regarding her with a curious expression in his eyes. Games are more fun when two play.

"I don't see why you would care that I told Yoko-sama about a dream that _I_ had. Besides, there are much more interesting stories that I could tell her that I'm sure you would have cause to be embarrassed about…" a smirk crossed the miko's features as a light glimmered in a dangerous and exciting way in those guilded depths.

"Is that so," a silver waterfall fell over one shoulder as he shifted slightly, leading her eyes inevitably in the direction of the flow and over his heavily muscled chest and fuzzily it registered in her mind that he wasn't wearing his armor today. Mentally slapping herself, she brought her attention back to his face hoping that he hadn't noticed her lapse. He had indeed noticed and his beast purred happily though he showed no outward signs of having seen anything.

"Yes, that's so," she said, one slender black eyebrow raised giving him the sudden random urge to nibble on it before roughly shoving that thought to the side and concentrating on her next words. "I have quite a few stories that my new friend might find quite entertaining," Kagome continued. "There's this really funny one about a really tall, silver haired guy who went to a dance club with a mere ningen and proceeded to rub himself up and down her in a most interesting manner," the youkai's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Although my favorite was the time that same guy crawled under my desk to tickle me and make me smash my head against the underside of the same desk…" she said, giving him a superior smirk. When he leaned forward a little more, a predatory gleam in his eyes she began to lose a little confidence.

"And how, little miko, do you plan on ending that story?" he asked his eyes boring into her and suddenly she realized the hole she'd dug herself into. Crossing her arms over her chest, she gave him her best smug look, though butterflies had made themselves at home in her stomach just remembering how that particular 'story' did in fact end, the memory of his lips against hers coming unbidden to mind.

"Oh, I do believe she would _very much enjoy_ the ending to _that _particular story since she's convinced that _something_ has…" Kagome stopped then and her face grew a little redder and she cleared her throat, "…gone on between us," she finished lamely and the taiyoukai had to actually fight not to chuckle, the girl was just too amusing.

"Oh? And has something gone on between us?" he asked and Kagome couldn't help but be a little confused. The perplexing taiyoukai was downright flirting with her right now, she just could never tell what the annoying and baffling man was going to do or say next. Let alone what possible mood he might be in. Her eyes grew darker and took the stoic youkai back a little.

"I'm sure as far as you're concerned nothing did go on between us," she retorted with slightly more bitterness than she'd intended and briefly something unknown flashed through the amber eyes regarding her coolly across the desk before it was gone.

"You always astound me with how well you know me," he said, sarcasm seeping out of his voice and startling the young miko. _Did I judge him wrong? But that would mean that… no, he couldn't possibly… could he?_ Sesshomaru watched as emotions warred across the girl's face. She seemed to be fairly adept at hiding her emotions and thoughts fairly well from others now, though she was still open and friendly, he took great satisfaction in the fact that with a look or a well placed comment all her walls came down and he could see every bit of her in her face and eyes.

"Now with that out of the way," he waved a dismissive hand and left the subject to let the miko stew over it on her own, "I wanted to inform you that your training will be conducted by me tomorrow morning. You will meet me in the dojo shortly before sunrise and you will not be late," he said with finality making the girl bristle slightly. His eyes narrowed at her. "If I have to come and fetch you in your room you will not like my form of punishment," he said and Kagome's face flushed, though this time in anger.

Rising to her feet, she glared down at the youkai before turning on her heel and sweeping out of the room, not waiting for his dismissal. Part of him demanded he follow his prey and bring her back and make her wait for his dismissal, but another part told him he could make her pay in a much more satisfying manner in the morning. A small evil smile spread over his features since there was no one there to witness it. Yes, it would be much more fun to exact his punishment for her in the morning.

Yoko smiled knowingly as Kagome stormed past, completely missing the eastern lady on her way to her room to find Akiko. Oh dear, the girl had it bad! Well, not that the youkai didn't return those feelings. Just the way he acted around her convinced the oceanic demon that there would soon be little demons running around with Sesshomaru's hair and Kagome's eyes. Giggling slightly to herself, she decided to go after the miko and seek her out just so she could tease her.

The day flew by quickly with Kagome finishing preparations for the hopeful lord's arrival and the celebration the following night. Soon everyone assembled around the table for dinner and creating quite an amusing picture. Sesshomaru had sent another beautiful miko outfit to the dark haired girl's room to wear to dinner, but she refused to put it on, arguing with Akiko for a few minutes before the neko finally gave up and let the girl be stubborn. Therefore, Kagome had appeared for dinner wearing a traditional miko hakama in cream and midnight blue but in a rougher fabric and with no ornamentation, her hair in a simple ponytail.

She pointedly ignored the taiyoukai at the head of the table the entire meal, much to everyone's bafflement except for Akiko and Yoko. Akiko stared at her mistress's back in irritation from her vantage point against the wall and Yoko winked and laughed behind her hand at Kagome, earning herself glares of death throughout the entire meal. Sesshomaru for his part stared at her intently the entire time with the look of a predator stalking his prey simply to unnerve her. Conversation was rather weak that night and everyone excused themselves hurriedly from the table once the meal was over, happy to be out of the oppressive atmosphere.

Finally rising, Kagome waved to Akiko to accompany her before leaving the room without so much as a bow to the lord sitting at the end of the table. A few servants gave their lord worried glances, sure that he would go into a rage, but much to their surprise he sat calmly sipping his tea as if he hadn't a thing to worry about in the world.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally alone it the gardens with her friend Akiko who stared at her worriedly. The little miko ignored her and sat thankfully on a little bench next to the koi pond deep in the gardens out of sight of the palace.

"Kagome-san, why do you act that way around him?" she asked, and Kagome couldn't help but be pleased with how her servant was progressing. Before she wouldn't have dared to ask a personal question let alone call her by her name. Sighing slightly she slipped off her sandals and let the soft grass tickle her toes.

"Because he does it back to me," she responded, staring at the beautiful orange, red and white fish swimming gracefully just under the surface with the light of the moon reflecting off the ripples.

"Kagome-san, do you realize what he's doing?" she asked curiously, wondering if the human girl understood what she was starting and if she could even survive the process. Heaving a heavy sigh, she glanced up at the moon.

"Whatever you think is going on, you're wrong. You should know him better than that. He just likes to torture me, it's the closest thing to friendship that I've had with him. He beats the crap outta me and I return in kind," she said and Akiko's eyes grew wide.

"But Kagome-san, that's not friendship, that's…" a servant approached them then and announced that Akiko was needed in the kitchens for something. Looking to her mistress, Kagome waved her off.

"It's fine. I have Fubuki with me and I can feel several guards nearby. I'll wait here for your return," Akiko nodded at her mistress before following the servant and disappearing into the flora. Kagome stared at the pond for a few more moments before slipping off the bench, gathering her hakama pants high around her knees and wading a little into the pond, enjoying the feeling of the cool water against her feet and ankles.

She was still standing there with her feet in the pond and her face turned to the moon when she suddenly felt youki that didn't belong to any of her protectors coming too close for her own comfort. It wasn't Sesshomaru, Akiko Sho, or Daichi, therefore it wasn't welcome to her. Spinning around when it was close enough she back handed whoever it was, sending enough miko energy to her hand to knock the unwelcome presence to the ground. Just then she caught sight of who it was.

"Toshi!" she exclaimed, leaping out of the pond to reach down and help the youth to his feet, a stunned expression still parked on his handsome features and one hand rubbing his cheek.

"Good Kami, Kagome-chan, is that how you greet all your visitors?" he asked rubbing the small burn mark on his cheek bone and Kagome frowned. Though she appreciated him using her name and not calling her 'miko' or 'wench' or any other disrespectful name, she didn't appreciate him being so familiar with her.

"Gomen, Toshi-san, I didn't know it was you and past experiences have taught me to be cautious," she said, moving away slightly, now uncomfortable with the fact that her sandals and socks were over by the bench and that the bottoms of her night blue pants were soaked when she leapt from the pond and were now clinging to her calves. The clinging pants did not go unnoticed by the noble's son whose eyes lingered on them appreciatively as she returned to the bench to gather up her sandals and socks.

"I see, I'll make sure I give you ample warning next time I'm coming. I'd rather not get fried every time I startle you," he said playfully and Kagome shifted uncomfortably, wishing Akiko would come back.

"Was there something you needed, Toshi-san? Akiko should be back any minute and I can have her get whatever it was that you wanted," she said, keeping the stone bench between herself and the youkai as he stepped closer.

"Oh, I assure you, Akiko will not be returning any time soon since it was me that sent her off on an errand," Kagome's breath hitched in her throat at the suddenly possessive and lustful light that gleamed in the yellow eyes. "I came out to see you." Kagome's mind whirled with this revelation and she frantically searched for a way to get herself out of this situation.

"Toshi-san, I really have to get back to the palace, I have a lot to do before tomorrow, so if you'll excuse me," she turned and hurriedly walked by the bench only to find the young youkai now standing in front of her and much too close for comfort. He advanced a step when she took a step back and reached out as if to cup her chin in his hand. She involuntarily jerked backward, her natural barrier singing his fingertips slightly.

Growling low, he made to reach out and grab her and the young miko panicked. Throwing herself backward in an attempt to gain some space she suddenly bumped into something solid and her throat closed over in panic, not remembering that anything had been behind her.

Suddenly she saw the youth's eyes go wide and she stared at him curiously until the solid object behind her rumbled against her back and a white silk clad arm was raised from behind her, the tip of Tōkijin resting against the underside of Toshi's chin.

Kagome let out a tiny gasp and her head shot up, her bewildered vision now filled with a pale expanse of silk clad chest, a long graceful neck and a well sculpted underside of a jaw.

Feeling her cheeks heat impossibly red, she gulped and looked straight ahead instead as the icy voice broke the silence.

"I believe the miko made it clear to you that your advances were undesired," Kagome shivered at the tone in his voice and suppressed a groan as Takehiko, Hoshiko, Yoko and Akiko all burst in on the scene just then. Toshi glared back at the taiyoukai.

"And exactly what business is it of yours?" his voice rising, anger showing in his eyes. A slight twitch of the wrist was all it took to make a small trail of blood run down the youth's neck and take him down a few notches.

"She is my miko and in a high position in my employ. Therefore it is my duty to protect those who serve me," Kagome wanted to wince at the 'duty' part, "you will treat her with respect and you will honor her wishes. If I catch you attempting to touch her in any way shape or form again…" his eyes iced over and the young youkai swallowed hard at the certain death he saw looming there. Bowing slightly and attempting to gather the shreds of his honor, he looked down at the miko still in the protective youkai's grasp.

"Sumimasen, Kagome-sama, please accept my apologies for my behavior and rest assured that it will not happen again," the miko nodded mutely as the youth backed away from the blade slowly before bowing, his blood gleaming crimson on Tōkijin's edge. He turned and excused himself, his parents following him and Akiko and Yoko excused themselves shortly thereafter once they were sure their friend was ok.

Sesshomaru's arm crossed over her body as he re-sheathed the sword making Kagome all too aware of their proximity and the fact that she was still up against his chest. She went to move away from him and found herself held in place by a strong arm that she hadn't even noticed was wrapped around her slim waist. His voice right next to her ear startled her and made shivers run down her spine.

"Why were you out here alone?" he asked, his breath caressing her ear and she had to fight hard to concentrate on his words and form a response.

"Akiko was out here with me, but she was called inside and was only supposed to be gone a moment," she said, unbelievably keeping the tremors out of her voice.

"What did I say about being by yourself?" the voice seemed even closer and was dropped a pitch, barely above a whisper. A small smile cracked his lips as he felt a flare of anger from his tiny miko.

"I am more than capable of taking care of myself!" she exclaimed, squirming against his arm and pulling at it with her small hands, attempting to move away from the alluring man. Suddenly she twisted around in his grasp and wound back as if to hit him, her hand flaring pink when he heard her breath catch in her throat and her heart double its pace, the aura around her hand fizzling out as her concentration slipped. His eyes found her wide blue ones staring up at him and he raised one eyebrow.

"It's called breathing, I suggest you do it before you pass out," he commented dryly and Kagome sucked in a greedy, involuntary lungful of air and he resisted the urge to chuckle. He felt his own breath hitch in his throat unexpectedly when the small woman reached her hands up and touched his cheeks softly, a look of absolute wonder on her beautiful face.

"You were smiling just now…" she trailed off, her fingers brushing his skin lightly, setting every nerve ending on fire in the entire vicinity. "Exquisite…" she murmured more as a voiced thought than an actual comment to him, almost as if she'd forgotten he was listening. _Exquisite, huh?_ His beast yowled happily and he couldn't help but agree. If that's the kind of response he got when he merely smiled at her a tiny bit, his mind reeled with all sorts of other enticing and amusing possibilities.

Lowering his head and holding her in place so she couldn't move away, he came closer to her until his forehead was pressed against hers and their noses touched. Kagome had to practically cross her eyes to keep the pools of gold filling her vision in focus.

"I _do_ know how to smile, little one. I just never have cause to," Kagome's eyes were huge as he spoke and he was so tempted to just lose himself in them. "You'd be surprised, I think, at some of the things I know how to do." The little miko's cheeks flushed crimson at the implication behind his words as she stared back at him, remembering a vivid day so long ago when he'd said those same words. This was just too much for her. _Twice in one day he's treated me flirtatiously. What next? Will pigs fly?_

Her lips were so close and her scent surrounded him, intoxicating him and setting his senses on fire. The beast whimpered pitifully in his chest as he pulled back, putting some distance between the two of them, hoping to regain some control over himself. It pleased him to no end to see the look of disappointment and loss flash across his miko's features before it was gone.

"You should smile more often," she commented, her voice seeming far away as if she were lost in thought. A small smile played across his lips and she stared.

"I really shouldn't though," he said and disappointment filled her eyes, "I can't have people thinking I'm getting weak and soft, you know," Kagome rolled her eyes and he resisted the urge to chuckle.

Taking her by the arm, he escorted her back to her rooms where Akiko waited patiently for her mistress to return. As he turned to leave, he glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Remember, tomorrow before sunrise," he said haughtily and laughed inwardly at the waves of irritation he felt coming off her as she stormed into her room and slammed the screen shut.

Oh she was so amusing.


	28. Chapter 28

AUTOTHOR'S CORNER -

Finally! This chapter's done! I vascillated over this one alot. :P Thank you so much, all of you for your support! I love opening my email and seeing reviews! It makes my day, although I do have to make two personal ones...

Secret101 - so the correct way to write it is Ame no koori? You'll have to forgive me, I simply took words I liked from the dictionary and threw them together in the form I thought they might go in. I don't speak Japanese nor claim to, but if you do I would appreciate the corrections! X3 I'd rather have someone correct me as nicely as you did than someone flame me for being wrong! THANK YOU!

The last one is to my beta...who also happens to be my brother and another die hard Sess/Kag fan... thankies! X3 Many a great idea and the corrections of some fatal grammar errors have come from him. :P

Enjoy!

Chapter 28

Kagome wanted to throw a miko energy charged pillow at the annoying woman who was trying to wake her up. Akiko was standing over her futon with her hands on her hips and her best stern look on her features.

"You'll be late if you don't get up now and you _know_ how grumpy his lordship is when you're late!" she threatened but Kagome only buried herself deeper into her pillow and mumbled something the neko couldn't quite make out. Her deep crimson eyes caught Fubuki's icy ones and he froze. He'd been hoping she would leave him out of this, but his proximity to Kagome's futon was obviously a hindrance to his wishes.

One angrily raised eyebrow and he huffed grumpily before heaving himself to his feet and padding the rest of the distance to the futon. Pouncing on it, he burrowed his head under the blanket, toppling a disgruntled miko out the other side and onto the hard cold floor. Fubuki then proceeded to snuggle down under the blankets until all that was left to be seen of him was one happily thumping tail.

Kagome glared at the lump that was Fubuki before Akiko got her hands on her and she sighed in resignation. She was dressed in a matter of minutes and she turned to leave until a thought stopped her. Grinning evilly, she approached the lump of blankets and grinned down at the icy eyes peeking out of the shadows.

"Fubuki, if I have to go to training then so do you," sitting up and letting the blanket fall down around his shoulders he gave her his best kitty face, his ears flattening back and his eyes big and round, but she appeared immune. "Nope, into the sheath." Fubuki gave her an annoyed look before disappearing in a puff of smoke and reappearing in the sheath.

_Oh, thou art a cruel woman._

_You better believe it. _

Kagome padded sleepily into the dojo just as Sesshomaru was starting to get irritated.

"You are late, miko" he said haughtily and Kagome gave him a look that said not to cross her but he just stared back in his usual bored manner.

"You're lucky I came at all, stupid youkai," she retorted and his eyes lit up oddly. "So what's the deal with dragging me out here before sunrise? Couldn't this wait until a more reasonable time of the day?" she asked knowing she sounded whiney though she really didn't care at the moment.

"No, I always get bored at this time of the morning since I am never asleep this late and if I am going to be up the least you could do is entertain me," he quipped back and Kagome resisted the urge to let her jaw drop. He definitely was being very playful recently.

"Well some of us aren't all powerful youkai with sleeping disorders," she retorted crossing her arms, "and as for entertainment, I see no reason to entertain you, so therefore I'm going back to bed," she said in her best imitation of his haughty attitude, but when she turned around to leave she came face to face with his chest.

"You are going nowhere until I say you are," he said looking down his nose at her.

"Don't make me fry your ass!" Kagome fumed at him and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What makes you think I am going to let you touch my 'ass' at all?" she back stepped a little, her face flaming and he began stalking her across the room. "So you admit to wanting to touch my 'ass' as you so crudely phrased it?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with something she didn't recognize.

"I didn't say that!" she insisted balling up her fists and facing him down, "I was implying that I'm going to kick the living crap outta you if you keep pushing me too far!" she growled at him, getting up on her tip toes in an attempt to not be so short compared to him, though failing miserably.

"Ooooooh?" he said smirking down at her, "then prove it," quick as lightning he slashed down at her with his claws, catching the sleeve of her haori and ripping it before her barrier forced him back.

Dropping into a defensive stance she extended her senses and he was surprised to feel her energy shimmering all around him in a curious manner. It wasn't threatening, but more caressing his youki, surrounding him in a non-obtrusive manner. Leaping forward he attacked her again, hoping to push her back against the wall and corner her, but she surprised him by actually dodging his attack and ending up behind him.

Changing directions faster than the eye could see he attacked again only to find she had moved to his side again several moments before he got there. This went on for a few more minutes before he realized what she was doing. She was using that shimmering energy he had felt before to anticipate his attacks. Obviously his naturally suppressed youki wasn't quite suppressed enough for her powers and she could feel him before he moved.

Smirking slightly at his clever miko he decided to change tactics.

Kagome was having trouble just dodging him. Her senses were constantly studying his movements to try and find a moment to attack, but he was flawless in his attacks, or she wasn't fast enough to take advantage of a moment or movement. Her hands were completely full just in not being hit.

Suddenly his youki reduced to almost nothing and she began to panic slightly. If she can't feel him, then there's no way she can possibly even consider beating him. A heartbeat later he was behind her and she felt him too late to avoid the slash he aimed at her legs which caught the fabric of her pants and ripped one leg off at the knee. She managed to hit him with a burst of pink energy and gain some distance before he recovered.

Extending her senses further she realized she could still feel him, but instead of a large field of youki to deal with it was hugged tightly to his form and so she refocused her energies completely on him instead of his general area, her hands igniting bright pink as he attacked again.

Feeling his attacks mere moments before he delivered them, she managed to block or almost completely dodge most of them, her concentration at its limits as she struggled to maintain such focused senses.

Sesshomaru watched her in fascination as the miko concentrated harder, her small form practically pulsing with energy, her eyes slightly hooded due to the fact that she was relying more on her miko senses than her actual sensory organs, she wasn't even really looking at him at all. He landed a few more minor hits heralded by the sound of ripping wool, though they were small and she really didn't take much notice.

Smirking, he closed in for a major hit to her abdomen when she surprised him by taking the hit, her eyes snapping open in triumph as her tiny hands found his chest and blasted him with a strong pulse of energy. The taiyoukai felt himself thrown across the room to land on his feet… _wait what…?_ Looking down in confusion, he found a large amount of wool fisted in his claws.

His eyes rose to the woman across the room and twinkled in amusement at the sight that met his golden orbs. Kagome stood on the other side of the dojo, her hands on her hips glaring at him, one half of her miko shirt was completely gone and the other half hung off her shoulder and arm pathetically. A skin tight black shirt that he recognized was from her time and called a 'tank top' covered the essential parts and he couldn't seem to help the stab of disappointment that the article of clothing happened to have survived his assault.

"_What exactly_ are you trying to do!" she said, her eyes stormy and her posture that of a mother scolding a child, "are you _trying_ to strip me or something!" she demanded and he looked back down at the cloth still fisted in his hand. When his eyes rose back up to the woman they held an amused twinkle that made her heart skip a beat and a small smile played at the edges of his mouth.

"What an interesting thought…" he murmured, though loud enough for her to hear and a dark flush rose up in her cheeks. _Did he actually say that?_ "Ne, miko, where did that come from?" he asked pointing at the tank top, he was under the impression she'd come to the past with only what she was wearing and he was positive that hadn't been on her person. Kagome flushed a little and looked down at her hands.

"Oh, I uh…I had the seamstress make a few of these for me. It made me feel better since…none of my…" she cleared her throat, "undergarments made it to the past with me…" she shifted her feet uncomfortably and his eyes practically sparkled with amusement.

His eyes took in her entire figure, the half gone miko shirt, her pant leg ripped off at the knee and she'd lost a sandal somewhere. So she was now partially in her undergarments?

To Kagome, one moment he was crouched across the room and the next he was right in front of her, her barrier flying up just in time to block his attack as she danced back. He drove her around the room with his attacks, not giving her time to retaliate, though her footwork was good enough to keep her from letting herself become cornered.

They batted and lunged at each other with Sesshomaru bullying her around the room and Kagome scoring the occasional burn mark to his person. The blast that had sent him across the room with half her shirt had also done a number on his un-armored chest, the front of his white silk haori now hanging open, singed tatters fluttering against his pale, heavily muscled chest.

Sesshomaru was immeasurably pleased with how much his miko had progressed, she was a mere human and yet she was blocking attacks that a demon would have problems with. She'd found a way to overcome her human weakness and was now a force to be reckoned with. Though, he thought with satisfaction, she was still not good enough to beat him.

Feeling her charge up for another strike, he decided to turn the tables on her. Releasing his youki to its normal state, her senses were completely overwhelmed. She grabbed her head as their essences collided; completely blinded for a few moments which Sesshomaru took full advantage of.

The little miko felt something slam hard into her throwing her to the floor, her senses still reeling. Suddenly her hands were pinned somewhere above her head and she squinted her eyes open only to find her vision filled with molten gold. Starting back in surprise, she bumped her head against the floor with a thump and a groan.

"Little miko, it looks like your new tactic has some deadly flaws," he said triumphantly from above her. Her eyes darkened in anger and he felt her powers flare up around her to protect her, fighting back against his youki in an invisible battle that raged in the air around them. Her aura had become quite strong, but he was a taiyoukai and if he was that easily defeatable he wouldn't have held his position so long.

Eventually he maneuvered his youki around her aura and brought it under his control. She growled up at him as she felt herself losing, the vibrations of her growl reverberating through his own chest which was pressed against her, holding her in place. He smirked down at the squirming girl, forcing his attention off what parts of her body were rubbing against his and onto her face.

"So, little miko, do you yield?" she glared up at him in a very convincingly vicious manner.

"And if I refuse?" she asked haughtily, laughter and challenge sparkling in the deep blue depths. He lowered his face down so their noses touched, taking her hands still pinned above her head in one large, deadly clawed hand and running his free one down her bare arm to trace the tips of his claws along her ribs sending shivers through her.

"I will simply find other ways of making you submit," he quoted himself, her flushed cheeks making his beast claw madly in his chest for him to claim the woman as she squirmed harder under him, determined to make things as hard on him as possible. Unbeknownst to her, she was indeed making things _hard_ on him, though not in the sense she was hoping.

Slowly, he traced the plain of her cheek with the tip of his nose, following the creamy skin to the crux of her jaw and ear where he nuzzled her hair, breathing deeply of her heady scent. Kagome for her part was having problems breathing at all. His warm breath bathing her skin and feather light touches were overloading her senses and she struggled to maintain coherent thought. Lazily, his lips parted and he ran a fang along her neck from her ear down toward her collarbone, leaving a tiny red trail. The small woman gasped slightly and suppressed a groan, wondering exactly what the demon thought he was doing, last update she'd had, he wasn't interested. Sure, he'd acted flirtatious, but this went a little beyond flirtatious… not that she minded.

His fingers lingered on her ribcage as he continued his path down her neck and across her collarbones, leaving the barest touches with his nose, lips and breath before moving upward again, following the line of her throat to the underside of her chin. Her breath caught in her throat at the sensations he was causing, an involuntary shudder running down her spine.

As she took a deep breath to protest, he captured her lips with his own making any reservations she'd been about to voice disappear in the wind. The tiny miko trembled against him slightly as he forcefully, though softly deepened the kiss, demanding she submit to his dominance, a nip from his fang and a brush from his tongue gaining him entrance to the warm recesses of her mouth.

Kagome's mind was reeling, no longer sure at all of her relationship with the taiyoukai. He'd made it clear to her that her presence had been undesired and then had ignored her for extended periods of time. Recently he'd been flirting with her, leaving her gifts and was now kissing her!

After what seemed like an eternity, air demanded they separate and each of them could feel the other panting lightly against damp lips. With a gentleness she never knew he possessed, he leaned his head down and caught her lower lip between his deadly fangs, nipping and sucking at it lightly, paying attention to the poor lip that she usually abused greatly when nervous.

"Sesshomaru, what…?" he stopped suddenly.

"Someone approaches," mere seconds later she found herself on her feet and separated from the youkai, almost stumbling from the sudden lack of support. He was now across the room and she straightened herself slightly just before Yoko made an appearance in the doorway.

"Ohayo!" she announced, giving the two of them a friendly wave before staring open mouthed at the two occupants of the dojo's appearances. Kagome seemed to be half dressed at this point, her entire outfit ripped almost to shreds and Sesshomaru's entire top half of his hakama was covered in scorch marks and a nice big burn hole adorned the front right over his chest.

Yoko's eyes returned to her friend and took in the slightly flushed cheeks and lightly swollen lips and correctly assumed what had been part of their "training." With a grin she straightened and gestured to the miko.

"You look like you could use a soak in the hot springs!" turning to the taiyoukai, she nodded and grinned, "hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing her away from you for a bit! I think she's been working really hard these past few days and deserves a reprieve, don't you?" Sesshomaru stared at the woman boredly, though Kagome caught the spark of irritation aimed at the woman for taking his prey away. Honestly, she was slightly disappointed too, though part of her was relieved that Yoko had interrupted. The more sensible side of her wanted answers from him first before anything else happened.

Grabbing the miko's hand and waving goofily at the now glowering demon she dragged the girl bodily from the dojo. As soon as they were out of sight, Akiko came scooting up with a bathing kimono and wrapped her lady up in it to preserve her modesty and her honor. Kagome threw a grateful glace over her shoulder at the woman as Yoko giggled and kept dragging her in the direction of the springs.

The little miko stopped in her tracks making Yoko jerk slightly on her arm as she felt a familiar shimmer in the air around her. She raised an eyebrow curiously at Fubuki as he took human form next to her and then stared open mouthed at him when he fell to the floor, clutching his eyes and wailing.

Yoko stared at the elemental much the way Akiko had when she first beheld his human form, Akiko stood above him with arms akimbo wondering what mischief the elemental could possibly be up to now while Kagome just stared dumbly at him in confusion.

"Alright, I'll bite, what the hell is wrong with you?" she asked and suddenly he sat up and glared at the miko.

"Have you so quickly forgotten, my friend that when you are emotionally charged and don't protect your thoughts I can _see_" he pointed fingers at both his eyes, "EVERYTHING _you_ see?" The dark haired girl stared at him a moment before realization sunk in and she started giggling madly. Fubuki went back to rolling on the floor in seeming agony.

"MOOOOOUUUUU! I DON'T SWING THAT WAY! DON'T EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!" he wailed, "That was like watching my brother and sister make out! Only from my SISTER'S perspective!" he started scraping at his tongue with his tapered fingernails when finally the other two caught on to what he was talking about and they both started giggling as much as the miko who had just plopped down on the floor in the middle of the hallway and was holding her sides.

"So," Yoko began when the giggles finally started to subside, "this is your sword Fubuki, who's also the cat right?" Akiko rolled her eyes and Kagome nodded, still giggling. "And he's a strong enough sentient sword that he can see your projected thoughts… and you were excited enough just a little while ago to forget to shield your thoughts…?" Kagome fell over giggling again and Fubuki went face down on the floor wailing again and covering his head with his hands.

"Don't say it! I beg you! It was bad enough SEEING IT!" Yoko grinned at the blue haired elemental before continuing.

"So, therefore, if he sees the world through your eyes when not guarded, then he got a great close up view of Sesshomaru just a little while ago, ne?" Kagome couldn't breathe and Akiko was shaking with the force of her laughter while Fubuki banged his forehead on the smooth flooring.

A few servants stared at the ragtag group curiously before moving on their way, shaking their heads and hiding their smiles. The miko definitely had begun changing the castle for the better. It was a much happier place with her there.

Eventually the group dragged themselves off the floor, Akiko grabbing Fubuki by the back of his collar and dragging the limp and seemingly boneless, still wailing elemental down the hall after them as they headed to the hot springs. Fubuki flopped down in front of the door and transformed into his cat form much to Yoko's amazement and amusement, though Akiko just rolled her eyes at him and he gave her a wink making her blush.

The women took their time in the springs, Akiko had shooed all the other servants away and Fubuki stood watch at the only entrance so the women could talk freely without fear of being overheard. Yoko teased the miko mercilessly, wanting all the juicy details from the blushing miko while the neko demon washed the two ladies with a small smile.

Yoko also managed to worm the information about their first kiss from her new friend and howled with amusement when she recounted what he'd said when her mother burst in on them.

"Ne, Kagome-chan, your home sounds so different from here," she commented, and the little miko glanced at her nervously before the oceanic demon continued, "I know you keep the information from everyone for your own safety, but you know I wouldn't ever turn against you. As it stands, I am the ruler of the east and it appears that there won't be a lord for a long time," she said sadly and Kagome laid a comforting hand on the woman's arm. "If you are serious about him and you accept his advances," Kagome gave her a doubtful look, but the woman continued, "then you will eventually become the western lady and will need alliances with people like me," she finished. The young woman stared at the water for a few moments in deliberation.

"I wanted to make sure that although we've known each other for only a short time that you understand that my friendship is binding. I've never met another woman like you and I will defend you to the very end. I will support you as lady of the west, should you choose that and will stand beside you and help you with your newfound position." Tears welled up in the miko's eyes and Akiko wanted to dance with happiness. So her charge was now going to take his lordship seriously!

"Yoko, I don't think you understand things very well," Akiko glanced warily at her lady and Yoko looked confused, "Sesshomaru has no designs on me save for a place in his army. He made it clear when I showed up here that he had no feelings at all for me and that as soon as it was possible I would be sent home," she said sadly though Yoko was already shaking her head.

"Kagome-chan, that's not what his actions are saying. Do you know anything about demon courtship?" she asked curiously and Kagome shook her head.

"The only demons I spent a lot of time with were InuYasha and Shippo, neither of whom said anything about it, though I don't think they knew much themselves," she said and Yoko nodded.

"That explains it then," Kagome looked at her curiously and the woman smiled, "Sesshomaru is not only a full demon, but he's also a dog demon, his sparring matches with you are to see if you're strong enough to become his mate and I know for a fact that the end of your 'sparring session' this morning indicates that he's _very_ interested in you," Kagome blushed. "He also challenges you and responds when you don't submit to him. Everything he does, all the teasing is meant to prove his dominance over you and establish himself as the dominant male in your life," Kagome's eyes went wide. "Even against other males he will go to extreme measures to makes sure he is the one and only that you pay attention to. Although, it seems by the way he's been acting that he himself didn't know until recently that he was doing it, though he is now acting more in acceptance of the choice his beast has made."

"His beast? His beast nearly killed me when he was visiting me at home!" Kagome bemoaned and Yoko's eyes went wide.

"Did you challenge him openly?" Kagome nodded and Yoko laughed heartily, "well that settles it! That was his beast's first indication to Sesshomaru of his choice. Had it been another female he wouldn't have fought to make you submit, he would have simply killed you without a second thought!" Kagome winced and the woman laughed.

"How did that fight end?" she asked curiously and Kagome winced again, remembering how much pain she'd been in after that particular fight.

"Not good… we really beat the crap out of each other… I was out of energy and he was furious, his eyes were even red," Yoko nodded, "I fried him in a last ditch attempt to keep, or so I thought, myself alive.

"You fried him!" her ocean blue eyes were impossibly wide.

"Yes, I charged up for one last energy bolt and blasted him across the clearing we were fighting in and he felled five trees in his flight," Kagome said with some pride. "Though using that much energy knocked me unconscious…so he still won," she said sullenly and Yoko laughed.

"Holy Kami, Kagome-chan! That's amazing! I can't believe he let you live! Though I'm sure winning the fight was a nice pat to his beast and his ego. I imagine he had himself back under control at that point." Kagome nodded.

"Next thing I knew I was back in my home on my…futon," she said and Yoko narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"So do you plan on telling me why where you come from is such a big secret?" Kagome sighed in resignation and nodded. For quite some time the two women sat in the springs with Akiko sitting on the side listening as well as the futuristic miko explained where she had come from, the use of the well for travel, how she had met all her friends and what things were like in the future.

The two women listened in awe, trying hard to imagine all the wondrous things Kagome described to them and both keenly jealous that Sesshomaru had gotten a glimpse of the amazing world Kagome had come from. She told them about her school and the amusing tale of his visiting the place of her education as well as the night she took him to the night club. Briefly she described the type of clothing worn then and both women were appalled and yet envious of how free women were in the future.

As they stepped out of the springs to get dressed and prepare for the hopeful demon noble's arrival, the two demonesses gushed over everything Kagome had told them.

"Wow, that certainly sounds amazing, Kagome-chan!" the little miko nodded as she was wrapped into her bathing kimono.

"You both cannot breathe of word of this to anyone! I'd be in terrible danger if anyone found out!" her face softened. "I wish I could show you everything, but the only way back was closed over when the shikon no tama disappeared and Sesshomaru and I are still searching for a way to send me home…" she stopped suddenly, "though I'm not sure how hard we'll be searching from now on…" Yoko giggled as they left the hot springs and waved merrily to one another as they parted ways to get dressed.

Kagome felt light hearted as Akiko folded her into one of the elaborate miko outfits that Sesshomaru had left for her, happy that she'd told her closest friends her secret and on cloud nine having discovered some of her taiyoukai's intentions. Now she just wanted to hear it from him herself.

The lord was due to appear in about an hour and Kagome and Akiko spent the rest of the time in the servant wing, making sure all was prepared for that night and that his rooms were satisfactory.

Shortly before his arrival, Takehiko came wandering into the room and smiled in a friendly manner at the miko.

"Kagome-sama, I would greatly appreciate it if I could have a word with you, perhaps we could take a stroll in the gardens?" he asked amicably and Kagome gave him a small bow and a smile, missing the wary look Akiko gave the lord before following the pair out into the hallway to the entrance to the gardens.

Takehiko took the miko's hand on his arm like a gentleman and escorted her out into the sunshine, wandering slightly until they were out of sight of the palace. Akiko remained a short distance behind, out of sight, though close enough for Kagome to feel her reassuring presence as Takehiko finally turned to speak to the miko, the sun lighting up his hair and the occasional feather.

"Miko Kagome," he began, fingering a bright pink bloom and turning his profile to face her, "it's come to my attention that there might be more than professional interest between yourself and the taiyoukai of the west," he turned his head just enough to glance at the young human out of the corner of his eye, his yellow eyes boring into her. Kagome straightened and clasped her hands together in front of her inside her sleeves to keep them from trembling, meeting his eyes with blue fire burning in her own.

"Perhaps you are incorrect, your lordship, however I doubt I am the person to speak to about this matter, it would be better perhaps to see out my lord and speak to him?" she asked, her chin high earning a dark chuckle from the red haired lord.

"No, little miko, the one I need to speak to is in fact you," her pulse quickened, but she showed no other outward trepidation, "you understand, don't you, that the ruling lords cannot simply let a weak human take the position of lady of one of the ruling lands?" he asked his yellow eyes burning with a fire that made Kagome want to take a step back, though she held her ground.

"Takehiko-sama, I understand your concern, however I believe it is unfounded and a waste of your time. I will not be bullied into anything and I will make my own decisions. Should my lord decide to state his suit, I will decide then if I desire to accept and no threatening or cajoling from anyone, lord or not, will sway my decision," she said, her voice even and filled with determination and fire.

The northern lord looked at her with an unreadable expression when suddenly she felt his power flare, indicating he was moments away from striking her down. A barrier flew up around her, protecting her from the sudden assault. A tersely shouted word and a clap of her hands together in a position of prayer and Takehiko shrieked in a hawkish manner as painfully bright pink chains erupted from the earth and shackled him, bringing him to his knees and sealing him. Kagome herself sank to her knees under the strain of the release of power, her hands shook violently and Takehiko watched her with blazing yellow eyes as she struggled to maintain such a strong sealing spell over one of the ruling taiyoukai.

Moments later, Akiko burst in on the scene, gasping at the sight that met her eyes before rushing to her lady to ensure that she was alright. The barrier was still up around the miko, so she was unable to get close to her, but she remained just outside the burning zone. In a flash, Sesshomaru was standing there and soon after came Yoko, Toshi and Hoshiko. The northern lady cried out and rushed to her husband's side, though her hands were burnt when she tried to touch her mate, his eyes shifting to look at her the only visible sign of his being alive. Kisho appeared somewhere behind the miko, growling his disapproval of the state of his lord and a look from Sesshomaru had him backing down, though his hackles were still up.

"What did you do to him!" Toshi demanded as he fell to a knee at his father's side, glaring warily at the chains binding him to the ground. Kagome lifted her chin and stared at the family in a cold manner.

"He attacked me and I defended myself," Hoshiko jumped to her feet and glared daggers down at the still kneeling miko.

"Impossible! My husband has more honor than that!" she insisted, though Toshi looked lost in thought.

"No, he has honor _for_ attacking Kagome-san," Yoko stepped in and explained, "he was challenging her due to his assumption that a relationship was beginning to form between the western lord and herself. She's a human and therefore shouldn't be allowed to possess the title and power of lady of the west, however, I think this proves quite plainly that she is more than capable of defending herself as any demoness would be," she finished earning a glare from Sesshomaru and astonished looks from everyone around save Akiko.

"Are you considering taking the miko as your mate?" Toshi asked with wide yellow eyes and Sesshomaru gave him a look of death that had him dropping his eyes in submission.

"That is a conversation for the miko and I alone and is absolutely none of your business," he growled. "Takehiko was out of line to make such assumptions before an announcement was made," he said in a growl making Hoshiko grimace and fear for her husband's health.

Kagome surprised everyone by suddenly crawling tiredly to kneel before Takehiko and taking hold of the chains on his shoulders, lifting them slightly, her hands glowing a brilliant pink. Slowly, Takehiko's head lifted as though under a great weight so he could look into her own face on even terms.

"Takehiko-sama, I understand your reasons behind attacking me and I pray the answer you were looking for has been found to your satisfaction," she said, her eyes even and her voice revealing nothing, though the lord could feel the little hands holding his chains trembling under the strain. The lord looked up at her for a moment before amusement twinkled in the yellow orbs and he nodded at her slowly.

"Sumimasen, Kagome-sama, it was necessary for my sense of mental tranquility. I do have my answer now and will make no further attempts on your life, on my honor. I attempted to take your life, so therefore my life is now in your hands," he bowed his head to the extent he could while chained and waited for her decision.

"Takehiko-sama, I release you from your bonds and from any commitment as I do understand your motives and approve of your course of action. I accept you back into my friendship and pray you live long and rule well," Kagome spread her hands before him with a word and the chains dissipated into nothingness and he slumped forward to be caught by his worried mate.

Sesshomaru growled in disapproval, as Kagome slowly struggled to her feet, barely being able to keep the trembling of her legs from showing, but then she turned and bowed to the western lord, her eyes entreating him to understand.

"My lord, his life was mine to do with as I wish. He has in reality done me no wrong, no harm was done to my person and it was my choice to release him," she held out her hands to him, her head slightly down in a position of submission, though her eyes twinkled at him mischievously. He growled down at her, knowing that he couldn't turn her away without good reason or he would look like a brute. She had deliberately and efficiently maneuvered him into a position where he had to do as she asked or face doing something dishonorable.

Taking her hand on his arm because he was sure she would collapse if he didn't, he felt her calming aura wash over him, though his irritation and ire at her remained unchanged. He could feel amusement coming off her in waves and it took him back a moment. Thinking quickly, he realized that she was the only being he could actually feel moods of as if it was a tangible thing. In return, she seemed to be capable of the same thing since she was glancing up at him out of the corner of her eye, that teasing twinkle still there as she continued goading him with her display of feminine submission.

Pulling her roughly inside the palace and around a corner, he forced her up against a wall and brought his face down close to hers so he could growl at her softly.

"If you think you have won, little miko, you can think again," he said, his warm breath washing over her cheeks and making the heat rise up in them, "enjoy your brief triumph, because this is far from over," be promised before he was gone. She leaned against the wall, gulping air into her deprived lungs as Akiko appeared around the corner with a 'cat-caught-the-mouse' look on her face.

"Oh shut up!" Kagome groused before straightening herself and attempting to storm off, though nearly falling as her knees buckled and Akiko caught her by her elbow. Chuckling, she led the huffing priestess off to the servant quarter of the palace to finish preparations.


	29. Chapter 29

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Well, here it is, the promised longer chapter! X3 Finally. I won't be cruel and leave all of you hanging, but after this chapter I will be submitting one more on tuesday and then I leave for a week because things have gotten complicated at work and a week really is needed to settle things. I just wanted to give you all fair warning, it will just be a short hiatus for a week and I PROMISE I will post a new chapter the following tuesday, so don't go anywhere!

Hope you all enjoy this one, I did alot of reworking and I'm still not sure I like it, so R&R and let me know. There were a few questions about what Sesshomaru said at the end of the last chapter and how people first of all didn't understand why he was mad and secondly didn't understand how he had 'lost.' Well, they're playing a game really in a way, she 'won' because she cornered him into acting how she'd wanted him to and getting her way. So he made it clear to her that he knew what she was doing and would _retaliate_. X3

Enjoy!

Chapter 29

Akiko helped the little miko onto a stool while a few servants fawned over their 'lady' before being shooed back off to work by a protective Akiko. Kagome was just getting into the final preparation lists when she felt a familiar aura materialize at her side. Slender fingers plucked the paper she was concentrating on out of her hands and was replaced by a scowling pale face.

"Fubuki, give that back, I need to finish all this before Matsu arrives," she complained, reaching for her parchment, but the elemental held it out of reach.

"You used that sealing spell I told you about," he said pointedly and Kagome sighed, her hands dropping into her lap and rolling her eyes at the annoying man.

"Yea so?" she said, trying to play it off as nothing when she saw icy fires ignite in his eyes and knew she was in trouble.

"I told you never to use that spell unless absolutely necessary! You _knew_ how dangerous that was! But you did it anyway! Why? If you had been in any real danger you know I would have been there in less than a heartbeat, you baka girl!" he said sternly shaking a slender finger at her. Akiko watched the exchange with a worried look.

"Kagome-san, what does he mean? What's wrong with the spell you used?" her dark red eyes soaked in worry. The little miko opened her mouth to rebuff what the ice elemental had said, but he smoothly intercepted.

"It was a spell that is very complicated and requires a lot of power," he leveled a glare on the young girl, "and that's talking about a NORMAL demon! Not a TAIYOUKAI!" he snapped and Kagome shrugged helplessly when Akiko's eyes went wide. "There's so much that could have gone wrong! You don't throw around soul spells like that!" the neko demon's eyes bulged out of her head and Fubuki nodded. "Yes, our brainchild of a priestess used her OWN FREAKING SOUL to bind the taiyoukai of the north," Kagome looked away sheepishly and sweat dropped. Looking up at the reproachful pairs of eyes glaring down at her she laughed uncomfortably.

"Well…uh…heh…it was only for a minute or two…" her shoulders slumped in defeat at the looks on their faces. "Alright, alright, I shouldn't have used that particular spell, but I felt pretty desperate at the time. I mean, what was I supposed to do against a taiyoukai?" Fubuki rolled his eyes and Akiko made a wheezing sound. "Anyways, give me my list back so I can get some stuff done," Fubuki glared down at her expectantly and finally she caved. "Alright! I promise I won't use it again!" Fubuki nodded in satisfaction and handed her the list.

Grinning and winking at a blushing Akiko, they both heard the little miko grumbling about overprotective friends the neko went back to work and Fubuki switched to cat form to annoy them both by lying around lazily.

Finally all the work was finished and Matsu was due to arrive in any minute. Hurrying to the courtyard, Kagome shoved her weariness to the side and prepared herself to fill the role of the perfect hostess at her taiyoukai's side.

The little miko forced herself not to react to Sesshomaru's presence, nor her proximity to him, but despite her best efforts, her heart did a little flip flop in her chest when she saw him standing there in the golden sunshine, his silver hair highlighted in the brightest shimmering gold, his pale skin glowing slightly in the bright light only further accentuating the dark markings on his cheeks and forehead. His golden eyes matched the light perfectly and seemed to only become richer for it.

Suddenly she realized those eyes were resting on her, an amused twinkle buried deep under the mask of boredom, though somehow she was able to detect it there. Lifting her chin defiantly at him, she came forward and took her place by him, her heart nearly stopping in her chest as the twinkle became more pronounced, his face carefully shielded from everyone else with the curtain of his hair.

Now she was sure, he was letting more emotion show through simply to get a reaction out of her. The realization didn't stop the reaction however. She felt a strange tightening in her stomach and her heart was doing somersaults from her chest to her stomach and back, stirring up all the butterflies and making them agitated as well. The tiny miko glowered at him for a moment before she snapped her head forward and ignored him.

Yoko stood slightly behind them and couldn't help the grin that came to her face at the exchange, though she couldn't see Sesshomaru's face, she could see Kagome's clearly. They really were the cutest couple she decided. The small woman came only to his shoulder, leaving him more than a head taller than her, his long silver hair hung down his white silken clad back and her long bluish raven hair lay silkily over her cream and blue miko attire. They were in every way opposites and so totally perfect for one another. The irony was not lost on the demoness that Sesshomaru was a creature of whites while Kagome was a creature of darks and their swords had powers opposite those of their own personalities. Kagome possessed the sword of ice and cold and Sesshomaru possessed the sword of fire and heat. Yoko shook her head, _so perfect in every way._

The creaking of the gates heralded the arrival of Matsu and his entourage. As the gates swung wide, a man of average height entered, his hair was shocks of fuzzy gold that stuck out at all different angles, though were particularly pointed on the sides of his head, giving him the appearance of having fuzzy cat ears, though he had the trademark demon pointed ears. His hair was speckled with white and black spots and his skin was a golden honey hue. Like Yoko, he had no marking on his forehead, because he had yet to accept rule of one of the four ruling lands, however he had cheetah spots over each eyebrow and had spots along his jaw.

"Sesshomaru-sama," sweeping into a low bow, his manners absolutely perfect, "it is an honor to be invited into your home and to be considered by the leading lords as ruler of the southern lands. Your decision will be a wise one and I have no doubts that it will be made with the best interest of the south. I simply pray that I am your decision, however I will respect whatever choice is come upon," he straightened and his eyes swept the group before him.

One by one the lords introduced themselves and their families to him and he bowed politely in acknowledgement of each one. Sesshomaru was last and when he introduced Kagome the young Matsu's eyes lingered on her for much longer than was necessary, slight confusion and a mix of other emotions shimmering just under the surface, Kagome would probably have missed them had she not become so adept at reading the ice prince himself.

Kagome, always the perfect hostess, stepped forward and brought servants in hand to take his belongings to his rooms and then suggested everyone adjourn inside for a light lunch since the ball was that evening and she was sure everyone would not want to eat very much.

Matsu gave a grateful grin and nodded. Everyone chatted amicably save Sesshomaru, who simply walked ahead of the group into the palace and led them to the dining hall where the servants were laying out a small repast of miso soup, some fresh fruits, rice and a few other small tidbits.

Kagome turned to ask Matsu a question when she found him staring sadly at something behind her. She didn't even have to turn to know what he was looking at, his eyes were locked momentarily on the one spot where Akiko always sat, his eyes briefly taking on a very emotional hue before it was gone and he turned his attention to the small miko, his emerald eyes alight with curiosity.

"Kagome-sama, news of your position here as traveled the length and breadth of the lands, however they failed to mention the beauty of the individual of which they spoke," Kagome flushed prettily and waved a hand dismissively.

"They would be telling tall tales if they did!" she chuckled back and his eyes went wide.

"Mou! That's not true!" Kagome dismissed it with a wave of her hand and he changed the subject. "Although I must say, I am curious to find out as to how exactly Sesshomaru managed to ensnare such a gem as yourself," he insisted, helping her to her seat before taking the one across and down from her slightly. Takehiko and Hoshiko's heads came up then as well.

"Yes, Kagome-sama, we never were told how Sesshomaru managed to find one such as yourself without killing you on the spot, how did you come into his good graces?" Takehiko asked, his eyes twinkling. Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru and he gave the slightest nods, though the look in his eye told her to omit certain details about her home.

"Well," she said setting down her chopsticks and glancing at the group, "if you don't mind a fairly long tale, I'll recount it to you all," she said and a number of heads bobbed fairly eagerly.

"Alright then, it all started when I was traveling and was kidnapped by a centipede demon…" she recounted her meeting with InuYasha, unsealing him from the tree, the shikon being inside her body and shortened tales of their adventures, the fight with Sesshomaru (omitting the part about his arm of course) in their father's grave, meeting with other friends and finally Naraku's death. She left out the part where Sesshomaru visited her saying that she had to return home and after a few years decided to travel again. A mishap with her miko powers sent her into the center of the battle where she met up with Sesshomaru again and viola, here she was.

A few looks rested on her confusedly and she at first mistook the reason for their confusion until Matsu spoke up.

"But Kagome-sama, I don't mean to sound as if I were doubting your story, but the time table doesn't make any sense…" Kagome panicked briefly and Yoko froze, though Sesshomaru looked bored. Hoshiko was the one to speak up, much to Kagome's shock.

"I believe it was said once that Midoriko had enough miko power to sustain her youthful appearance, her healing abilities making her aging null and void. Perhaps Sesshomaru's miko contains similar amounts of power?" she asked and it was not lost on the entire group the stress she had put on stating that she was _Sesshomaru's_ miko. Takehiko nodded.

"Perhaps, my mate. It seems logical considering the displays of power we have all been privy too," a confused glance from Matsu and Takehiko laughed, "oh, you have missed much these past few days, young one! The miko has given us all quite a show!" Yoko nearly snorted on her food and Toshi hid his smile behind his hand while Sesshomaru stared at the area approximately around the corner of the ceiling with such perfectly affected boredom that Kagome was convinced he was actually sleeping with his eyes open. Hoshiko gave the little miko a sidelong glance.

"Well, she certainly has given us reason to keep on our toes!" she said, giving the girl a look that to Kagome's relief showed that she held no grudge against her for her actions toward her mate. Matsu's head turned confusedly between each speaker, obviously hoping someone would elaborate which only caused everyone save Sesshomaru at the table to burst out laughing.

"If you wanna know what happened then try hitting on her or killing her, then you'll get the reaction we all got to witness!" Takehiko's eyes sparkled with amusement as the western lord finally reacted to the conversation by giving the northern lord a glower which only made the lord laugh harder.

Sesshomaru heralded the end of their brief repast by standing and sweeping from the room to go and bury himself in his study. Soon enough everyone else followed his example, each of the noble families retiring to their own rooms to prepare for that night.

Kagome lay on her futon attempting to catch a quick nap while Akiko headed to the kitchens to make sure everything was all set and that things were moving smoothly and Fubuki lounged in his annoyingly kitty manner at the foot of the futon. The little miko eventually lifted her arm off her forehead and scowled at the ceiling. Akiko was only supposed to be gone a few minutes and it had been quite some time since she'd left.

Rising slowly, a frown on her face at the thought that something might have gone wrong in the kitchens, she motioned for Fubuki to follow her and left her room, padding quietly down the long halls toward the kitchen.

The sound of Matsu's voice raised in anger and frustration made her stop in her tracks and look at the screen she'd just passed. It was a small sitting room, though Kagome wasn't sure why he would be in there speaking with someone when he had the availability of his rooms…unless… Akiko's soft voice responded back, though the words were muffled and immediately Kagome's ire rose. How dare that impudent cat yell at her Akiko!

Moving to the door she made to open it but stopped at what she heard then.

"Akiko, listen to me! You're of a noble family! You're deserving of taking your place with us! It's beneath you to be a servant to another, and a _ningen_ at that!" he growled out the last part and Kagome stiffened.

"You will not speak of her that way!" Akiko hissed back, "Kagome-sama has been nothing but generous and kind to me! I'm really more of a friend who helps out than an actual servant! She even insists that I call her by her given name!" Matsu's breath came out in a hiss.

"This is beside the point! Just because of that stupid situation with your mother and father's arranged betrothal for you doesn't mean that…" Akiko interrupted him.

"Yes, I had an arranged marriage, just like most people and just like most people I had an agreement to fulfill. It would be dishonorable of me to slap away what Sesshomaru-sama has graciously offered me and leave with you. Besides, I have friends here now! I don't want to leave!" she snapped back at him.

"That miko witch did something to your head! What the hell is wrong with you?" Kagome decided it was time to intervene. She slid the screen open then to the sight of Matsu gripping a very angry Akiko by the biceps with the appearance that he was about to try and shake some sense into his cousin.

Matsu's head snapped up when the door opened and now his expression was shifting between anger, indignation and a little bit of shame while Akiko's eyes went wide and a massive blush stained her cheeks.

"Ka-Kagome-sama!" suddenly there was a whirlwind of movement, a bluish silver streak darted across the room and Matsu suddenly found himself off balance, his hands disconnected from his cousin's shoulders and a very angry looking pale face right up in his own.

"You will refrain from touching Akiko-san in such a manner ever again, cousin or no," Kagome had never heard Fubuki use that tone of voice before and it sent shivers down her spine. The only thing she could think to compare it to was glacial ice, almost as convincing as Sesshomaru's own glacial tone.

Akiko found herself gently removed from her cousin's grasp, though how he managed to do it so fast she had no idea and her cheeks turned a shade redder when she realized he was standing a hair's breath in front of her, his left arm protectively wrapped behind him and around her waist, though not touching her, more like a guide to keep her in place while the other was kept free in case he needed to use it.

Kagome came forward then, a challenging look in her eyes as she approached the hopeful lord while he eyed her warily, still keeping the odd looking man in his peripheral vision.

"So, Matsu-sama, you believe that I hold Akiko here against her will? Or that she's being mistreated here?" Matsu lifted his chin as he stared down at the miko. "Fubuki," she said and he glanced at her briefly before obeying his mistress, shifting into massive cat form making Matsu start back. The huge white panther circled Akiko protectively before leveling Matsu with a smoldering icy glare and padding to his mistress's side.

"Akiko," the neko demon turned her glance to her lady, her maroon eyes full of question and apprehension, "you are free to do as you wish. As the head of Sesshomaru-sama's personal employ I give you back your freedom. You may go take your place with Matsu as a proper noble or you may remain. The choice is yours completely to make." Akiko's eyes went wide at the implication, though she didn't hesitate even a moment.

"Kagome-san… how could I possibly leave you when you've been more of a friend to me than any person in any noble court?" the neko shook her head as she stepped forward and took her lady's hands. "No, my place is here, helping you run a palace and keeping that troublemaker in line!" she said, eyeing Fubuki with an amused twinkle in her eyes. Fubuki winked at her before returning his cold glare to the lord now across the room.

"Well, now that we've got that settled, Matsu-sama, I'd like to address the rather off color comments that you made about my person before I entered…" Fubuki's eyes got as big as saucers and slowly he padded backward until he exited the room and hid behind the door, his large ice blue eyes peeking around the corner. Matsu regarded the cat with mixed feelings, wanting to laugh but also a bad feeling depositing in his stomach at the thought that he felt the need to remove himself from the room at the miko's mention of his comments. Suddenly he felt her aura flare and knew immediately the reason for his tactical retreat and all the comments at the table now made sense too.

"My name is Kagome, Ka-go-me, not miko, witch, wench, bitch, or anything like it. I will not be treated disrespectfully, especially since I've slaved all week to make this celebration tonight in your honor an occasion to remember," he slanted a sheepish look in her direction, but she continued. "I am getting rather tired of beating on demons in order to gain respect, so don't make me do the same to you because if need be, I will." Matsu's first reaction was to laugh outright, but the shimmering aura surrounding her told him it wouldn't be wise to do so. Perhaps there was some truth to her wild claims.

Bowing to her graciously, he decided to let her win this round for now, it wasn't worth it to banty back and forth anyway. Besides, he wasn't sure he didn't like the fiery little miko either. She was interesting if nothing else.

"Kagome-sama, you have my apologies and my promise on my honor that I will not lay a hand or raise my voice to Akiko again." Kagome nodded in satisfaction, taking note of the fact that he did _not_ promise never to insult her ever again.

"Arigato, Matsu-sama. Now if you'll excuse us, we have things to see to for tonight. Please, enjoy your rest and we will see you in the evening," Kagome bowed and let herself out, followed closely by Akiko and then eventually by Fubuki who couldn't resist sending one more icy glare the young lord's way before following after his ladies.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru sat in his study ignoring his growing stack of papers in favor of staring at the wall, a particular miko's face dancing before his unseeing golden eyes. He really was enjoying baiting her much more than he should, but he couldn't seem to help himself. The confused noble felt starved for that twinkle in her blue eyes that meant that a moment had happened for only the two of them and that she was awaiting a teasing remark or response in return, and of course he couldn't possibly disappoint. He wanted nothing more than to lean forward and bury his head in his hands with a frustrated sigh, but outwardly nothing changed at all, he continued to sit still as a statue and stare at the wall blankly.

What was this woman doing to him? He had actually flirted with her out in the open with the other two ruling nobles right around the corner, though at the time he couldn't have cared one bit. His mind had been completely consumed with the sight, smell and feeling of the woman pressed against the wall, her pulse beating so quickly against her throat begging him to lean down at nip at it with his fangs… STOP!

The taiyoukai stood up in frustration as he realized the futility of denying thoughts such as those, especially after having tasted the miko's skin for himself earlier that morning in the dojo. Moving to the window he stared out with unseeing eyes at the beautiful garden laid out below. There was no doubt in his mind that his beast had chosen the miko as its mate and it seemed there was nothing he could do about it. Not that he really wanted to. What surprised him the most was that though he was attracted to her physically as evidenced by his reaction to her physical presence, but he was also attracted to her intellectually as well. He had never found a female that could verbally spar with him and not leave him bored in the first five minutes. Even though sometimes she couldn't bring a good response to mind she still had that teasing challenge in those blue depths that told him she would never fully submit to him. Surprisingly, he found he liked that.

A frown found its way onto his face as he considered the situation. What happens in the future though? She _is_ human. Eventually she will grow old and die while he lives on as beautiful as ever. Her hair will grey, her perfect skin will wrinkle and she'll wither away until nothing is left. A stab of immense pain shot through his abdomen at the thought. Could he handle that? The answer shocked him even as he realized it and accepted it. He wanted nothing more than to protect her and take care of her through the rest of her life, even though she would eventually lose her beauty and die. She would still be the same beautiful Kagome underneath and he was overwhelmed with the need to protect her as she aged.

But what about when she died? His head reeled. An eternity of loneliness after such a short time span with the one who fit him like a puzzle piece. His loneliness before was bearable because there was no one he was wishing to be with, this would be different. He had someone to miss now. Could he back out now? Could he push her away and prevent some of the later pain?

Even as he thought it he knew he couldn't. He would rather live a full though short life with her by his side and then suffer the pain of losing her than regret never having those moments to cherish whilst he lay alone for centuries after.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He had already accepted her fully as a mate and was now simply dealing through all his misgivings. How long had he thought this way? Suddenly the need to begin his life with her was overwhelming, she had such a short time with him and he didn't want to waste any of it.

He stopped himself before he even turned to the door. Not now though, not with everything so hectic and with so many prying eyes and ears. He could wait a day or two and he was sure she needed a little more encouragement to accept his advances. A small smile played across his features. Although, she seemed fairly accepting that morning as he remembered the feeling of her giving in to his demanding kisses and caresses. His beast growled happily, realizing it was finally about to get its way.

The miko his thoughts rested on was currently sitting in her room before a mirror with a pleading look on her young face as Akiko was going through the process of dressing her lady in the massively heavy and ornate robes required for the evening. The kimono was stunningly beautiful, the different layers were varying shades of forest green accented with gold embroidery forming trailing streams of leaves across the sleeves and skirts giving it the look of a sun kissed forest. The small woman was currently wearing only the first few layers and Akiko was trying to convince her to stand and let herself be folded into the last few layers and then the top layer.

Fubuki lay unhelpfully on the floor with his tummy up in the sun filtering through the window, his paws hanging in the air limply. The ball was due to begin in only an hour or two and Akiko was complaining that she still had to do Kagome's hair.

After much cajoling and threatening she managed to get the girl on her feet again and began again the complicated process of dressing the slight woman. Quite some time later the finally finished tying the obi in place and stepped back to admire the transformed miko. Now all that was left was the hair.

Almost a full hour and much whining later, Akiko finally stood Kagome in front of the mirror to admire her own reflection, smiling in triumph at the tiny gasp that escaped her friend. The kimono was of the finest silks and the greens accented her naturally slightly tanned skin and brought out the blue in her eyes and hair accents. The raven tresses were dressed up in formal traditional style, small beaded sticks and a small fan adorned her hair all in the same green colors of her kimono and accented in gold. Small sparkling green droplets hung from each ear and a beautiful gold necklace hung around her slender neck. A tiny bit of makeup had been applied to her eyelids and lashes to bring them out a little more and overall, she looked like a hime.

The little miko's pleased smile was all the thanks Akiko needed as she steered her lady toward the door. It was almost time for them to appear at the ball. A servant had knocked and informed them a few minutes ago that the first of the guests were arriving and were milling around the hall that had been prepared for the evening.

It had been decided earlier that Fubuki would be Kagome's escort while Akiko stayed back and directed the servants since Sesshomaru wouldn't be able to stay at the miko's side the entire night.

A bright smile lit up the young woman's face as Fubuki appeared by her side. He had forgone his usual high ponytail for the evening and left his waist length hair down so it would hang rakishly across his forehead and frame his face. His usual outfit was gone and he was wearing beautiful formal robes of shimmering blues and silvers, the sleeves and neck accentuated with silver embroidery and his usually bare feet now had formal sandals on them. His eyes twinkled at her mischievously as he escorted her from her room to where Sesshomaru was waiting to walk her into the ballroom. The appraising look Akiko threw Fubuki's way was not lost on her friend as the neko excused herself to head to the servant wing with the promise she would join her later that evening once things had settled.

Kagome had to force herself to keep breathing as they turned the corner and caught sight of the taiyoukai waiting for her patiently by the entrance to the room. Fubuki was grinning from ear to ear as the couple regarded one another, wholly pleased that just this once a glimmer of what the northern lord was thinking showed in his golden eyes.

Sesshomaru had foregone his usual white attire and was dressed in navy blue the same color as his crescent, his formal hakamas of the softest silk accented in lighter blues, black and silver with complicated embroidery on the shoulder, the sleeves and the hem of his pants with his family crest and soft clouds with the occasional depiction of himself in true form in shimmering silver. His thick, soft hair stood out and fairly glowed against the dark color of his outfit making him look (if it's possible) even more ethereal than normal.

For the first time in his life Sesshomaru thought he might die from lack of oxygen since he couldn't seem to make his lungs cooperate with his wishes. The vision in green before him made him wonder where all that extensive training he had in his head had run off to because he couldn't seem to recall even a single thing. She practically glowed, the green of her kimono making her look almost porcelain, her perfect skin almost clear of all makeup save for a tiny bit of color on her eyes which pleased him immensely. The woman was perfect, flawless, and he wanted her. The thought was rather liberating and caused him to finally figure out where his vocal chords were and remember how to move again.

His beast fairly yipped happily at the small gasp that escaped her when he moved suddenly and held his hand out to her. Her tiny fingers slid against his own palm as she let go of Fubuki and he pulled her gently to his side, taking her arm in his. Kagome looked forward and steeled herself for what was to come and he couldn't resist baiting her. He looked down at her haughtily before looking forward.

"Acceptable," he said coolly and Kagome's head spun to stare at him, her blue eyes going wide before narrowing in anger, the telltale flush spreading across her cheeks under her eyes.

"Like you can talk, you dumb youkai!" she huffed before facing forward indignantly. Suddenly she felt his breath on the juncture under her ear where her hairline met her neck and she shivered, her eyes fluttering closed involuntarily.

"Would you rather I tell you that you look good enough to eat then?" he whispered against her skin and the woman shivered again, but then Fubuki's voice cut through their small moment.

"I'm not listening, I don't see anything, la la la la la la!" he sang and covered his ears and turning around his back facing the couple now. Kagome resisted the urge to laugh and then sigh depressedly as his breath suddenly was gone from her neck leaving it feeling cold. Allowing themselves a moment to school their faces into indifference and Fubuki to stop being annoying they finally were ready and Sesshomaru slid the screen opened and led Kagome into the room.

The hall was massive, small traditional tables sat off to one side for eating should guests feel they wished to and most of the floor was bare for socializing and eventually dancing. The entire room was beautifully adorned in paper lanterns and decorations with no other lighting giving the room a soft golden glow. Sesshomaru and Kagome were announced and briefly introductions were begun.

Yoko and Takehiko and his family came to stand by the western lord and his miko in support as the lesser nobles were introduced. Fortunately, no comments were voiced, however the looks and expressions spoke louder than words that a lot of the nobles were not pleased that a ningen miko stood at the allegedly most powerful lord's side. Kagome took it all in stride, her chin held high and her expression carefully blank, though her eyes filled with the fire that made her who she was. Many of the noble youkai couldn't meet her eyes while others looked on curiously. Her response was not what they had expected and Sesshomaru couldn't help the swell of pride in his chest.

This was the part Sesshomaru hated the most and Kagome must have felt it because she squeezed his forearm briefly and invisibly in support before letting him go and let Fubuki step up and be her escort. He immediately and keenly felt the loss of her by his side, but did as duty required and moved among his guests to _socialize_, though it mostly consisted of his guests talking _at_ him while he stared off in the distance boredly.

Kagome was greeted by a few of the female demonesses who had the courage to try and converse with her, the single ones trying to gauge her relationship with the taiyoukai and others simply sizing her up. She chatted amicably and smiled all the while knowing their intentions but determined to make it a pleasant evening anyway.

Hoshiko joined the small group of females with a cheerful smile and greatly helped put Kagome in a good light with the dubious women by recounting flattering stories concerning the miko who accepted the help from the northern lady with a thankful smile. Hoshiko was one of the most powerful women in all ancient Japan, along with Yoko, and as such she had great influence despite her unassuming nature.

A few odd glances were sent Fubuki's way when he refused to leave her side, though a huge disarming grin from him and a wink sent the demonesses looking away with a small blush much to Kagome's amusement.

Soon Yoko joined the group with a bottle of sake in one hand and a small drinking saucer in the other, though she ignored it most of the time and drank straight from the bottle. Quickly she began to elaborate on Hoshiko's stories and embellished them in ways that had their audience captivated. The fact that both ruling ladies approved of the human seemed to help somewhat, though Kagome still detected some unease and distrust amongst most of the youkai.

"….and then Kagome-sama blasted me across the courtyard with a mere swing from her sword…" just then Takehiko came wandering up and interrupted Yoko's slightly slurred narration.

"Ladies, the meal is served, if it pleases you it would delight us if you would join us," he said smoothly and Yoko gave him an annoyed look for interrupting her story. The birdlike demon winked at the oceanic lady and she giggled before taking another swig.

Once everyone was seated the servants brought out the fancy platters of food and light conversation buzzed around the table. Eventually one of the lesser noble's curiosity got the better of him and he turned to the priestess.

"Kagome-sama, there are wild rumors running all across the four lands as to how you came into the employ of the taiyoukai of the west. Perhaps you would like the opportunity to either confirm them or put them to rest?" Kagome set down her chopsticks, but instead of turning to the one who spoke, she turned to Sesshomaru at her right.

"My lord?" it was not lost on Sesshomaru that she said 'my lord' instead of 'milord' but he ignored it in favor of resting his bored icy golden eyes on the youth who spoke.

"Since the miko you have spoken to is a _mere_ ningen and none of you will believe her then I will inform you myself of my actions," glances were exchanged all around the table and whispers began but were ceased when he spoke again. "The miko Kagome is personally responsible for the death of the evil hanyou Naraku," before whispers of doubt could begin he continued, "I was there when she delivered the killing blow. Though she looks too young according to the timetable, her powers are equivalent to those of Midoriko and she has been capable of maintaining youth through a means you will not question." It wasn't a lie technically, but he felt uneasy nevertheless, however he refused to let Kagome be put into a position where she might need to lie. "Because she was a longstanding ally of my half brother, InuYasha I decided an alliance would benefit us both."

Astonished looks flew across the table as realization of the position Sesshomaru had gained. He was reportedly _the_ most deadly demon in the four lands and now a miko with powers equivalent to the most powerful miko in existence stood by his side in complete allegiance to him. The taiyoukai would be close to unstoppable.

Dinner was finished with soft conversations and a number of glances Kagome's way, but she ignored them completely in favor of conversing with Yoko, Fubuki and Takehiko since Sesshomaru seemed to have used up his reserve of conversation with his short speech and sat there staring at nothing.

Finally the uncomfortable dinner was over and guests rose to begin dancing. Soft music began playing and couples moved out onto the floor. Kagome was swept onto the floor by partner after partner. Takehiko insisted on the first dance, followed by Toshi and Matsu. A few other lesser young nobles gathered the nerve and asked her though were slightly unnerved that Fubuki was never far from his mistress's side and stared at them disconcertingly until they relinquished their hold on her at the end of a song. He ignored Kagome's glares and continued this behavior until he claimed her for a dance himself much to her relief.

To her disappointment, Sesshomaru seemed inclined to ignore her in favor of speaking to the ruling nobles and Matsu and it seemed that he wouldn't be asking her for a dance. _Fine then! Stupid arrogant, uppity puppy! I didn't want to dance with him anyways,_ she huffed.

_Sure you do, don't lie to yourself._ Fubuki grinned at her and she glared at him.

_I hate it when you do that._

_Then don't let me read your thoughts._ She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him. Just then Akiko popped her head into the ballroom to see how things were going and Kagome turned to Fubuki.

"Can we please step out into the gardens for a moment? I'm dying in this heavy kimono and I want to talk to Akiko," she pleaded and he relented. Motioning to Akiko, the three of them stepped out into the cool night air via one of the patio screens. The tiny miko sighed in relief as the cool air caressed what skin wasn't covered and she sat on a stone bench next to Akiko while Fubuki hovered behind them.

"How go things with the servants?" Kagome asked.

"They're fine, we had a hitch when dinner was served, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle. One of the servants almost dropped a plate of food too, that was amusing but…" Kagome suddenly got a weird feeling on the skin of the back of her neck and shivered when it ran down her spine. Akiko noticed something cross her lady's face and stopped her oration.

"Kagome-san…?" the woman held up a hand. Fubuki suddenly tensed, apparently he'd felt something weird too.

"Fubuki, what is…?" Kagome began but suddenly she had her answer when Fubuki's hand shot out and caught the dart headed for her exposed neck. Instantly Fubuki and Akiko were on their feet in front of their mistress as shapes disconnected themselves from the shadows of the garden walls.

"Tsk tsk, Sesshomaru's defenses aren't very good are they?" a shadowy figure stepped forward and threw a guard at their feet, the whole front of his neck was gone, his eyes bulged weirdly and blue veins had begun to stick out around the wound signaling the use of poison. Kagome tried not to look at the guard she recognized as one of the wall guards and focused on the threat at hand.

At least ten more shadows disentangled themselves from the darkness by the wall making eleven of the shadowy figures.

"Who are you and why do you threaten Kagome-sama?" Fubuki questioned, his voice the same glacial ice he'd used before, but it was somehow now comforting to the young miko.

"Hou, if it isn't the elemental sword the ningen bitch carries around, let him off his leash for the night, little one?" he asked Kagome and she resisted the urge to gasp but Fubuki didn't appear surprised at all. Kagome called a warning moments before the shadows attacked, Fubuki and Akiko leapt forward and met them head on.

"Kagome-sama! Erect your barrier and don't move! Do not let it down or fight them, that's what they want!" a shimmering pink barrier flew up around the miko who squatted to a kneeling position to reduce the size of her barrier and help save energy.

"Fubuki, please let me help!" she called out but Fubuki was busy, his hands erupted in bright white light as he clashed head on with one of the shadows who had now stepped in the light and was revealed to be a snake youkai. The elemental punched him in the throat, the skin all around for a foot or so freezing solid. When the snake fell and connected to the ground the frozen part of his anatomy shattered scattering bluish flesh pieces everywhere.

With a roar Akiko suddenly shifted shape, her face elongating and her stripes extending until a tiger a little smaller than Fubuki's cat form stood in her place. Leaping forward she began clawing and ripping at anything that came close enough to her, determined to protect her lady.

The shadowy figure who had spoken came from the shadows then. He looked just like Ken'ichi, the former southern lord who Sesshomaru killed in the battle against the south with only a few differences. His bright red eyes clashed with Kagome's blue as he sneered at her revealing long poisonous fangs that protruded from his lips.

"Miko bitch, you're the one responsible for the downfall of my father," Kagome's head reeled, she hadn't known Ken'ichi had a son, "and on top of that you're seducing the lord of the west and turning him into a pathetic lapdog. You will be disposed of so that I may kill Sesshomaru without hindrances." Kagome's mind had frozen as she watched in slow motion as the young snake lunged toward her. Fubuki intercepted him having just dispatched the soldier he was fighting, the attacking noble having to shift direction to avoid those swinging, glowing hands.

Meanwhile Akiko had taken several hits, though none were terribly bad. Her teeth closed around the neck of the snake she was fighting as she felt something puncture her flank. Throwing her dead adversary to the side she turned in time to see one of the soldiers brutally rip his fangs from her flank, a sudden rush of dizziness overwhelming her as the poison spread through her blood stream. With an outraged roar, she leapt on the offending reptile and began to shred.

Fubuki and the evil noble battled off to one side and Kagome watched fearfully hoping against hope that Sesshomaru would notice her absence soon and come to her aid. More snakes had come from the shadows and were beginning to overpower her friends. The tiny miko had almost dropped her barrier at the sight of Akiko being bitten, but she understood Fubuki's demand. If she was killed then all of their fighting would have been in vain. Her sentiment to help her friends was strong though and she was shaking with the force of her will power to stay put. Without her sword or bow and arrows she was weaponless save a small dagger and her powers and though she was stronger she had yet to learn the ability to project her powers without a weapon, at least successfully.

Snarls and hisses filled the gardens as Akiko thrashed, reared, clawed and tore through the seemingly never ending waves of snake youkai. Rearing back in anger as another set of fangs sank into her shoulder she batted another two approaching, her claws tearing through one's chest and caught the other in her fangs completely crushing his head. The waves of dizziness were coming faster and her vision was beginning to swim but she continued to ignore it and tore the offending demon's head off with a swipe of a huge clawed paw.

Fubuki lunged and dodged with the former southern noble, neither able to score a hit or afraid to do so, Fubuki's hands spelled certain freezing for the snake and the reptile's sword proved a hassle for the unarmed elemental. His frustration was mounting as he was being forced backward in the direction of his mistress. The evil noble appeared to be taking his time, supremely confident in something, what though Fubuki wasn't sure of, but he was sure that he would never let the bastard near the woman who'd become a little sister to him.

Renewing his assault with a snarl he stopped the advance of the youkai opposite him, his hands flashing with the speed of his movement as he used a spell to make his hands hard as ice and blocked the thrusts and attacks of the youkai's blade. Movement out of the corner of his eye told him that a snake had made it past Akiko and he threw out one hand and made contact with its shoulder making him fall to the ground in pain before shattering. Catching the blade in his other still hardened hand, he pushed back the evil noble and attacked again, just missing freezing his leg by a breath.

Suddenly a cry from Akiko and Kagome caught his attention and he glanced over in time to see two snakes overwhelm the neko and slash at her brutally, the poison finally taking its toll. One last blow to her face opened up four slash marks and sent her somersaulting to the ground where she landed with a sickening thud and ceased to move.

"AKIKO!" Fubuki screamed and the evil noble smiled wickedly. The moment of diversion was all he needed. Pulling a wickedly gleaming red blade from a hidden sheath he suddenly swung powerfully at the elementals midsection. His senses and Kagome's scream told him too late what was happening.

The last thing Kagome saw was a shocked expression on his pale face before a brilliant flash of light erupted in the gardens blinding everyone before it disappeared. When the light faded Fubuki was gone, where he had been the silver of his blade was spiraling through the air to land near the miko, bouncing off the ground with a high pitched whine of finality. It was just the hilt and the forte, the blade was broken halfway down its length and the other half landed with a tink sound a short distance away, the point sticking into the ground.

"FUBUKI!"


	30. Chapter 30

AUTHOR'S NOTE -

Alright, PLEASE READ THIS! IT'S IMPORTANT! This will be my last update for a week and a week only. THERE WILL BE NO UPDATE FRIDAY! The next update I make will be on tuesday a week from today. The reason being is my bosses are sending me on vacation for a week due to stuff that's been happening in the shops lately and they both agree that I'm being dumped on. So! Enjoy this chapter, I didn't leave it in a terrible cliffy like last time, but hopefully it's enough to keep you all sticking around for a week until I update again. Have no fear! More fluff coming up, I just have to write it:D Have a good week and I'll see you all next week!

Remember! R&R! It gives me inspiration to write more!

Chapter 30

"FUBUKI!" tears ran freely down the miko's face as her horror filled eyes took in the hilt and forte of the broken blade that landed near her. Looking around briefly she realized there was now nothing between her and the attacking snake youkai. Akiko lay a short distance away, unmoving and bleeding alarmingly as Kagome began to crawl the rest of the short distance to the half of Fubuki with the hilt.

Her fingers closed around the hilt just as the first attack struck her barrier. Stars shot through her eyes and her body jerked slightly with the strain of holding the shield as she pulled the sword through and doubled her concentration. A small though panicky feeling hummed under the surface of the hilt brought her attention back to the blade. Fubuki was alive! _He's slipping away fast though! What do I do! _Wrapping herself around the sword, she encased him in her soul, using it to seal him in the broken sword. The panic died down slightly and despite the situation a small smile broke her lips at the feeling of irritation come off him in waves. Oops, she broke her soul spell promise.

_Sesshomaru…_

Inside the ballroom Sesshomaru had been ready to tear his own head off from dealing with gossiping guests and fawning demonesses. More than once he'd had to sidestep demonesses attempt to feel him up or drape herself across him in their quest to be noticed by the 'most eligible demon bachelor.' _Nobles indeed. _The taiyoukai couldn't help but compare their wanton behavior with that of a certain human female that currently resided under his roof. The woman was a ningen, but in his mind none of these female youkai came close to comparison. If only they would leave him alone.

In a desperate attempt, he had surrounded himself with the other ruling lords and had separated himself from the crowd making it appear that they were discussing something of some importance and keeping the other guests at bay. It worked for a little while as youkai females are notoriously persistent. A thought suddenly occurred to him and he glanced around the ballroom, ignoring the conversation that was going on between the ruling demons.

_Where is Kagome?_ His golden eyes could find no trace of her and though he showed no outward signs of emotion, something deep in his gut, a voice of instinct was telling him something felt wrong, her scent was not strong as if she'd been gone for several minutes, though he could find no trace of Fubuki or Akiko in the ballroom either.

Suddenly, sounding as if rather far away, he heard that blasted sword yell the name of Kagome's servant in desperation. Alarm bells went off in his head and he disentangled himself from the crowd and raced with demon speed in the direction of the voice. Takehiko's head had also come up at the faint sound and he followed the western taiyoukai.

Throwing open the garden's door he came face to face with a shimmering purple barrier of sorts. Pushing through it easily, he realized it was meant to keep the pulsing of auras within a certain area rather than keep sounds in or people out. Kagome's shriek cut across the clearing like a knife and his eyes fell on her anguished form. She crawled over to a broken sword that looked exactly like Fubuki and he got a sinking feeling in his chest.

He growled as the girl ignored the attacking youkai in favor of curling around the blade protectively, the strain on her face plain as the snakes attacked the shimmering and wavering pink barrier again and again. Did the girl have no sense? Having seen enough, his rage at the audacity of these lower demons who attacked his home took over and he felt his eyes go red.

Apparently Takehiko beat him to it because he'd taken less time to assess the scene. A high pitched hawkish scream rent the field causing many of the youkai to cover their sensitive ears as the furious lord began to shift. His face elongated into a beak and his eyes burned red with an inner fire, his neck grew longer and his skin was replaced with flaming red feathers. Wings sprouted from his arms and his leg joints reversed and became scaly and taloned. Moments after he'd begun, in Takehiko's place stood a massive phoenix, flames licked off his wings to reach hungrily for the night sky as he spread them wide and took off with a whoosh that knocked several enemy youkai over.

Sesshomaru didn't transform in favor of his humanoid form which he could protect Kagome in more easily. The miko's expression was one of shock as she stared at Takehiko's flaming bird form as he shot through the sky to attack from above. The inuyoukai moved between the snake that appeared to be the leader and his miko pulling Tōkijin as he did so, his eyes as bright red as the phoenix decimating the army before him.

The gardens were swarming with snake demons and a few other lesser reptilian youkai and his sensitive senses picked up a massive amount of men outside the keep walls. How the hell were they able to hide their aura's enough to get that close to the castle undetected!

Quickly dispatching the youkai attacking her barrier he planted his feet and turned to the demon who looked annoyingly a lot like a demon he'd gotten rid of quite some time ago.

"Sesshomaru, you would celebrate for another to be lord of the south when…"

"I did not tell you that you could speak!" the taiyoukai snarled and attacked, Tōkijin clashed with the snake's sword which was crossed in a block with a gleaming red, wickedly curved knife. The screeching sound of metal could be heard throughout the entire field as the youkai pounded on one another, blades flashing in the soft light of the high moon. The young former noble was not as skilled as Sesshomaru, but his reflexes were extremely fast and the taiyoukai had to concentrate to keep on track as he darted, dove, struck and parried.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a snake youkai near Kagome's barrier, though the girl didn't seem alarmed. Almost as if sensing the impending attack, the snake suddenly turned toward the western lord, winked at him and gave him a peace sign, a fluffy fox tail puffing into existence before it was gone again. _Hnh, Sho. _Now he could concentrate fully on destroying a threat that should have been dealt with before.

Kagome had been worried at first about the snake youkai approaching her, but right outside her barrier she could feel his youkai and it wasn't a snake's at all, it was her combat instructor Sho!

"Sho! Fubuki's broken!" she explained in choked sobs, "and I don't know if Akiko's survived!" her voice quivered and Sho held up a calming hand, not getting too close to her dangerous barrier.

"Akiko lives, I can hear her heartbeat from here," Kagome sighed in relief. Suddenly a youkai popped up out of nowhere from behind Sho, though the same instant the fox was gone and the snake looked around in confusion. A dagger blade poked out of the youkai's chest and he looked down at it in shock before convulsing violently and falling to the ground, his system wracked with poison. The kitsune still in snake youkai form wiped his blade on the grass and regarded the miko.

"Is Fubuki dead?" he asked and Kagome shook her head.

"Not yet, I'm holding his soul inside the sword, but I can't do this for long," her pleading eyes tore at Sho's heart. The girl had been through so much and he was afraid of what might happen if she lost someone she considered a brother.

"Is there somewhere you can transfer it to until we can get the sword fixed?" he asked curiously, having no idea what might be capable of holding a soul. Kagome looked around the field madly before her eyes fell on Akiko's form.

"Akiko's badly injured and I remember Kaede-sama mentioning something about a person's soul being more loosely connected to their body the worse their injury…." she trailed off thinking." Sho, if you can get me to Akiko, I might have enough energy to close up the worst of her wounds and see if it's possible to transfer him into her body," Sho looked at her incredulously.

"Two souls in one body!" he asked and Kagome shrugged.

"I did it with Kikyou, her soul rested within mine all my life growing up," Kagome stated blandly and Sho was taken aback. Kagome's worried blue eyes were distracted by Sesshomaru and the evil youkai as they battled, Takehiko's flaming form visible in the background as he swooped down to take out more soldiers attempting to enter the castle. There must have been so many more of them than Kagome had originally thought.

"Alright, Kagome-sama, I'll do what I can," shifting shape, suddenly the evil noble was standing before her and he made it appear that he broke her barrier and grabbed her roughly in order to convince any enemy who were watching that it was really their leader and he'd gotten the miko. Abruptly, he wrapped his arms around the girl and she had an intense feeling of disorientation before she was startled to realize she was standing beside her neko friend, hidden slightly behind a nearby bush.

Falling to her knees, tears filled her eyes at the sight of her best friend so badly injured, massive gashes had opened her chest leaving gaping wounds, four claw marks marred her cat face, fang marks riddled her sides and flanks and her paws were bloodied from her fight earlier.

"Akiko," Kagome placed a hand on the neko's forehead and it seemed with great effort the maroon eyes finally cracked open. "I'm so sorry, Akiko! I'll fix you up in a moment, but I have an important question to ask you," the neko eyes never left her face. "Fubuki is broken," she held up the sword and Akiko's eyes went wide in panic, "and I need somewhere to put his soul until we can get the blade fixed." Akiko's eyes studied her briefly before nodding with a soft growl of submission.

Kagome quickly put the broken blade over the worst wound on her chest and closed her eyes in concentration. The sound of battle raged all around her, though she ignored it in favor of focusing on her task. Soul transferal isn't easy. The little hands glowed bright blue as she guided Fubuki from the sword and into Akiko's body to rest next to the neko's own soul before the glow changed to pink and began to close the worst of the wounds, closing both souls into the body of Akiko.

Once the light faded she slumped to the side and was set gently up against Akiko's side by Sho before he had to turn and kill another snake who was approaching. Kagome's weary and fuzzy mind finally registered that Yoko, Toshi and Daichi had also shown up along with Matsu and were finally beginning to beat back the waves of youkai.

Sesshomaru moved with incredible grace as he finally cornered the annoying upstart and impaled him on Tōkijin. The snake spat blood at him before slumping over and falling to the ground as the taiyoukai removed his blade from the snake's belly. Bending over, he picked up the glowing dagger and discovered the reason for the snake's unusual reflexes and the reason for the repressed auras. The dagger was sentient as well, but it held a very angry and restless fire elemental. Just holding the blade, he could feel the power radiating off the being within including its ability to create aura barriers. Glancing over at Kagome he found her resting against Akiko, though still clutching Fubuki, or rather the sword that once held his spirit.

A stab of jealousy seized his stomach at the attention and worry she was giving the stupid sword. Irrationally and very unlike him, the question ran through his head unbidden if she would react that way to him being injured. Sho appeared at his side.

"It appears that this was the bastard son of Ken'ichi bent on revenge. He brought a small army with him too, most likely intent on taking his noble heritage by force," Sho reported and Sesshomaru stared at Takehiko who was obviously enjoying himself as he chased around the pathetic youkai who had begun to retreat once all the taiyoukai had shown up, his phoenix form screeching mightily as he swooped and dove, lighting the night sky, fire streaking behind him in his flight.

Sesshomaru nodded once, his eyes returning to Kagome who was now kneeling by Akiko's head, the neko appeared to be unconscious, but the little miko still had that sword clutched in her small hands. Growling under his breath he ordered Sho to make sure the grounds were cleaned up and that none from the army survived before turning and walking away.

Sho was shocked, it wasn't like Sesshomaru to leave and let someone else deal with the enemy like that, though he was sure his lord had good reason. As Sesshomaru walked away he knew he was being stupid and unreasonable, but he couldn't stop the intensely angry feeling at the thought that Kagome had completely ignored him in favor of fawning over that stupid sword. Although in thinking about it, he realized he was angry the most at the fact that the sword was there to protect her before he was even aware of a threat.

It was as Kagome was watching over the removal of an unconscious Akiko from the gardens to a futon that had been placed in her room for care that the miko finally noticed the absence of her taiyoukai. The last she remembered he had battled the snake noble and had beaten him, but after that, she couldn't remember seeing where he had gone. Her brow creased slightly. He didn't even speak to her to assure that she was ok, or find out what had happened to Fubuki. Perhaps he was simply out making sure his lands were safe, that must be it.

Satisfied, Kagome made sure Akiko was set down comfortably and that her wounds were cleaned and bandaged before seeing to the empty sword. The young woman almost felt sick to her stomach as she placed the broken hilt and forte on the floor and then lined up the point with the break. A servant came in then asking what was to be done about the broken blade.

"I'm not sure… Oh! Wait! I forgot all about Totosai!" hurrying to her desk she scribbled out a quick note, sealed it and handed it to the servant. "Deliver this to Totosai, the sword smith with all haste! Demon speed! Quickly!" she hurried the servant out before returning to her hand maiden's bedside.

Staring down at what she knew contained both of her best friends, she couldn't help the worry that welled up inside her. What if nothing could be done? What if she lost the one person who'd been with her through all the times she'd been so lonely? He had risked his life to save her, what if she now couldn't save him?

Despite her worry and sadness, she soon fell sound asleep by Akiko's bedside, the extensive use of her powers to hold her barrier, transferring the soul and healing the neko's body finally taking its toll on her.

Sometime around two in the morning the screen slid open to Kagome's room and Sesshomaru stared in at the miko sound asleep by the side of the servant who now held both souls. The miko hadn't left their side since the fight and irrational jealousy twisted itself in his gut.

He had not acted like himself at all since the end of that fight, closing himself up in his study and pacing back and forth like a caged wild animal, even going as far as to let Takehiko and Yoko make excuses at the party that had abruptly stopped and ferry everyone out. For the first time in his life the inuyoukai felt stupid, controlled by his emotions and though it came with a certain feeling of release, it wasn't the release he'd wanted. He had wanted nothing more than for Kagome to pay attention to him, she had barely looked at him only once the entire time he'd been out there in favor of paying attention to that damn sword.

True, the sword was broken and Fubuki was dying, but that's beside the point! Growling he had stormed, his equivalent being soft padded footsteps instead of complete silence, to Kagome's room to make sure she was alright, but telling himself he was simply going to see what she was doing.

The sight of her asleep at Akiko/Fubuki's bedside made him angry all over again that she ignored her own well being for someone else… and someone that was not him. Growling dangerously, he spun on his heel, not even closing the screen and headed down the hallway.

Halfway to his destination a door slid open silently behind him, though he didn't stop his stride.

"Takehiko, I'm leaving on patrol. Tell the miko Kagome that she is in command of the palace until I return," the tone of Sesshomaru's voice made bright yellow eyes go wide as the inuyoukai disappeared down the hall. Hurrying after him, Takehiko arrived in the courtyard in time to see a transformed Sesshomaru leap over the palace walls and disappear with demon speed into the forest.

Shivering, Kagome woke suddenly, her head snapping up and her blue eyes opening wide at the violent chills that overtook her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she rubbed her biceps trying to bring some of the cold down. The screen was open, but that was no reason for her chill.

Stopping briefly, she turned back to the screen, _why is that open?_ Crossing to it, she poked her head out, though she didn't see anyone nor any signs of life. Shrugging slightly she closed it and crossed to the window, the warm breeze drifting through a major contrast to the horrible chill that was still set in her core. _It must be the wee hours of the morning judging from the height of the moon._

Shivering again she quickly checked on Akiko to make sure everything was alright before stripping out of most of the layers of heavy ceremonial kimono until just a few soft layers remained and slipped tiredly into bed, ignoring her still half done up hair. Before drifting off to sleep she made a mental note to speak to Sesshomaru in the morning about the arrival of Totosai.

"NANI?" Kagome's eyes were wide with disbelief and she stared at Takehiko like a fish out of water, "he left last night on patrol without telling me and leaving me in charge of everything here!" Takehiko grimaced at the shrill tone of the girl's voice before nodding. Kagome covered her face with a hand, how on earth was she to manage without Akiko's help! The woman was still unconscious and showed no signs of waking yet.

"He didn't say when he would be back either, but he seemed rather out of sorts," Takehiko informed her and she glanced up at him oddly.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously and the taiyoukai shrugged.

"He is usually silent wherever he walks and I could hear him walking down the hallway last night," Kagome raised an eyebrow, "he also transformed before leaving the palace and I know for a fact that he never does that before going on patrol, his dog form is too obvious, he usually goes with stealth rather than brute force," Takehiko finished and Kagome stared off in the distance thinking. Could he be angry with her? She had figured he was busy with affairs around the palace and thought it better to leave him alone, but maybe he was angry with her for something?

"Thank you, Takehiko," she said, still lost in her thoughts before heading off to the servant quarter, feeling very naked and alone without Fubuki or Akiko by her side. A thought occurred to her and she turned suddenly and almost ran face into face with Sho. Yelping loudly she fell against the wall with her hand over her racing heart and Sho's eyes were squinted shut with his hands over his ears.

"Kagome-sama! Please don't do that! You mean to tell me all this time I've been behind you that you haven't felt me at all?" finally uncovering his ears as Kagome stood off the wall with a sheepish smile he couldn't help the small smile that crept on his face at her antics.

"Gomen, Sho-san, my mind has been somewhere else all day," a light blush stained her cheeks and he felt like laughing at her '_child who's been reproved'_ face.

"It's understandable with everything that's happened, your mind must be a whirl with a million different things. It's been decided that since your two body guards are currently indisposed that I would fill in until such time as they returned to their normal states. I asked Daichi and he said it was a good idea," Sho finished and Kagome wanted to hug the kitsune captain.

"Arigato, Sho-san, I was feeling rather alone just then anyways, it would make me feel a lot better to have you along. The fox shot her one of his Shippo grins and Kagome smiled back before continuing on her way, discussing with the captain the arrival of Totosai and the implications it might cause. Last Kagome knew, Sesshomaru and Totosai weren't on the best of terms.

The thought of her taiyoukai shoved all other thoughts out of her mind. Why did he leave without saying anything at all? Why did he leave at all? Was he mad at her for being so weak as to be attacked? Did he not like her anymore and needed to be as far away from her as possible? Was he mad that she hadn't fought at all and had just sat behind her barrier? The idea that he could possibly be jealous never entered her mind as she went through her day making sure the palace was running smoothly and that clean up was happening on schedule all the while being closely followed by Sho.

Hours later she returned to her room and found Akiko exactly as she'd left her. Sitting down by the side of the futon she motioned for Sho to have a seat before looking back down at her friends.

"They'll be fine," Sho reassured her and she smiled at him weakly, "the only worries I have about them is the two of them actually sharing the same body," Kagome looked at him curiously but just then Akiko groaned slightly. Excitedly, her attention snapped back to her friend and she leaned over her anxiously.

"Akiko! Akiko, are you alright?" painfully slowly one maroon eye cracked open before deciding that was a bad idea and squeezed shut against the brightness, another groan escaping the injured neko.

"Well…. I think I'm alright…but I feel a little weird, Kagome-san," ever so slowly she managed to crack both eyes and focus on the miko's face and Kagome sighed in relief.

"Thank Kami…"

"Oh I see, so no one asks how I am, I see how it is," Kagome jerked back with an entirely creeped out look on her face, Akiko's eyes had gone impossibly wide and Sho had an amusing look of shock plastered on his features at the sound of Fubuki's voice coming from Akiko's body. Akiko's hand flew to her throat before clearing it and her eyes darting around.

"Ok that was weird," she said rather uncharacteristically earning a giggle from the miko.

"What's weird," Akiko's mouth moved, but Fubuki's voice came out making the neko's eyes go wide again. Suddenly she shot to a sitting position.

"Kagome-saaa" a dizzy spell over took her and Kagome caught her as she swayed and almost plopped backward, "Kagome-san, I thought Fubuki would be _asleep_ inside me, not _awake and TALKING!"_ Kagome winced and gave her an apologetic look.

"Gomen, Akiko, I wasn't sure how it would work at all. I didn't know if it would make him sleep or not, but apparently we have our answer now."

"Wait, you mean I'm in Akiko's body?" came the masculine voice as Akiko's body suddenly moved weirdly as if being controlled by a puppeteer as she sat up and looked herself over.

"I have boobs!" Kagome rolled her eyes and Sho groaned, "if you'll excuse me, I think I need to explore this new development," Akiko made as if to get up but then she jerked oddly and her arms crossed over her breasts protectively.

"You will do no such thing! Those are my boobs and you will not touch them!" Akiko said stubbornly, a glowering look on her face.

"Ah, but Akiko, they're now _our_ boobs, remember? So it's only fair that you share," Fubuki said, a hand creeping toward the edge of her kimono.

"Absolutely not!" the hand was snatched back and Kagome was nearly rolling on the floor trying to contain her laughter and Sho looked like he was about to burst as Akiko turned angry eyes on them. "This isn't funny you two! How am I going to deal with him?" Kagome gave up and started rolling on the floor, peals of laughter ringing through the room.

"This isn't funny! I can't even slap him! I'd be slapping myself!" at this point Sho lost composure as well and dropped his head to his chest, his bangs covering his face but his shoulders quivering with laughter and small snorts escaping him.

"Why Akiko! You never told me you thought my butt was cute! Once I get it back again I'll let you explore it to your heart's content…" Akiko slapped a hand over her mouth; Fubuki's voice continuing muffled slightly, her maroon eyes wide in panic making the poor miko and captain only laugh harder. Groaning, she lay back down and stared at the ceiling, making sure her hands were well away from her bosom.

"This is going to be a very long recovery…"

Meanwhile, someplace on the edges of the western kingdom a massive three story tall white dog finally slowed it's frenzied pace and came to a stop, the long pink tongue lolling out from between its gaping maw as his mind raced over the events of the past day. He was being stupid and childish and he knew it, but that run definitely felt good. Stretching his real legs always gave him a sense of freedom and he drew in a long deep breath through his sensitive nose.

In reality he _had_ headed this way for a reason, though the pace was unwarranted as well as was the form, but he found he really didn't care. That miko did things to him that really shouldn't happen. He never ever lost his composure like this, yet here he was, panting like a domestic dog after a long run.

Reluctantly, he shook himself and caught a large animal, eating quickly before returning to humanoid form. Whisperings had reached him of a sect of religious men who had reportedly become vastly powerful and who were destroying anything demonic in the name of their gods. Sesshomaru had meant to come and see this group for himself, but the extraordinary distraction that was Kagome kept him from leaving. Now was his chance.

Approaching the temple establishment slowly and with caution, he realized he could actually feel the waves of holy energy coming from the shrine within. Movement off to his left alerted him to the fact that the energy was confusing his demon senses and keeping him from detecting a threat before his normal senses did.

This did not bode well.


	31. Chapter 31

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Well, my faithful readers... I've made a decision during my time away because I had a long talk with both my managers (I work two retail jobs in order to pay my bills). I've been promoted to managerial staff at the bookstore and thus will be getting higher pay, but also an increase in hours. I'm remaining the same at the game store however, this means that I will have less personal time. I regret to say that I will have to drop my submission times to once a week. It will not go any lower than that however, because if I am so busy during a week that I do not have the time to sit down and devote to 10 pages of a story I love in Word, then something is wrong and I need to make adjustments. That being said, today is the start of every Tuesday submissions. I really am sorry, but please do keep the reviews coming. Honestly all your comments inspire me to keep writing since I'm a rather self-depreciating person. All your support has kept me going and I just wanted to say THANKS! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!

ENJOY! X3

Chapter 31

"But Akiko-saaaaaaan!" Fubuki whined, "you can't see anything you're doing! I really think that since we're still injured you should change in front of the mirror so you can see what you're doing and can assess how well our body has healed," Akiko growled at the ceiling as she struggled with her obi, grateful when Kagome's tiny, gentle hands pushed hers away to help finish dressing her friend.

"Absolutely not, you hentai! Also it's not OUR body it's MY body and you're an intruder in it! Therefore you should remain silent and grateful that I was willing to let you take up space in my body and not let you just die!" she snapped.

"Moooooouuuuu! Kagome! She's being mean to me!" Akiko grabbed the hand that was creeping toward her chest and held onto her hands down around her waist with such force that her knuckles were white as Kagome chuckled.

"Now, now, Fubuki. She had the body first, so you should just let her be in control. Why don't you take a nap or something?"

"No way! How often does a guy get to be in a woman's body! And such a nice specimen of body too I might add…" one hand reached back and grabbed her butt before it was snatched back with a growl.

"Do that again and you won't live long enough to be put back into that blade, you ass!" Kagome giggled and Fubuki whined.

Kagome glanced out the window as Yoko burst in with her customary energy and started teasing the poor neko and the belligerent elemental. _Sesshomaru… why do I have this awful feeling? Where are you? Please be safe and come back to me, even if you don't want me. Please come back. _

_Blood…my blood… the smell of burning flesh… my flesh. So much pain that I can barely see… and yet… all I can think about is how she will react when she sees me. _

The normally stoic form of the taiyoukai of the west stumbled and ran into the trunk of a tree, leaning on it for support. His armor was completely shattered, the yellow sash that always held it in place had burnt away long ago, his sleeves were in tatters, the white fabric of his hakama stained red and black and his hair was similarly afflicted. Shoving away from the tree, Tōkijin dangling from his limp arm pathetically he rushed onward, trying to keep as much distance between himself and his adversary as possible.

He had greatly underestimated his enemy, walking right into their home turf supremely confident in his prowess in fighting holy men. Their number usually consisted of one or two truly powerful leaders and then pathetically weak followers grasping at their heels. This group was one of the concerns that Takehiko had discussed at length with Sesshomaru, but the lord of the west hadn't considered that this might actually be a bigger issue than he originally thought.

The shimmering aura of the temple had alerted him first to the strength of his enemy, but he'd gone anyway, thinking they would prefer to speak rather than fight. Mistake number two.

Though his senses had been heavily hampered by the smothering aura around the temple grounds he was still able to make out the auras of at least thirty men who exited the buildings and moved to surround him, though keeping a great distance back. To his infinite surprise, there was almost a complete half and half mix of females and males. To his knowledge, the holy males and females associated but kept their practices separate. Apparently this group was an exception.

The holy man in charge had exited the temple and faced him as if to speak, though when his mouth opened, no words came out, instead sealing chains similar to the ones Kagome employed snapped out of the ground and surrounded the taiyoukai, dragging him down. Fortunately, working with a miko of immense power had taught him a few things. Struggling against the chains, he knew they weren't meant to seal him, but only to bind him as other holy men and women closed in around him. The realization that they weren't carrying staffs but enchanted swords registered in his mind with a shock as he struggled to his feet once again.

Using the aura of Tenseiga to confuse the power of the chains, he managed to loosen them enough before pulling Tōkijin and snapping them with the sheer power of the blade's evil. The houshi's attacked him then, their glowing pink and blue swords leading as they engulfed him in a deadly dance of auras. The miko's stood back, holding out their own brightly glowing swords much as one would use a staff as a conduit for power, the chanting and singing sounds of their voices filling the air with their casting. More often than not he found his own youki recoiling at the sheer holy power of some of the men around him. Who were these people?

Whoever they were, they weren't interested in talking.

"The demon lord of the west has walked into our hands by the grace of the Kami's, let us make an example of him and not let this gift go to waste," the leader called in a clear and commanding voice. Slaughter, they were out to slaughter all the youkai they came in contact with. They were exterminators.

The tremendous amount of holy power around him had dragged him down and confused his senses, the burns they inflicted and the holy cut wounds had slowed him as he fought desperately, now only concerned with distancing himself from the horror he'd walked into. Transferring Tōkijin into his left hand, he utilized his air whip, feeling the extension of his right hand snap free and spiral around him as he spun on his forefoot, holding Tōkijin straight out to the opposite side as he spun, the evil aura beating back the holy energy and clearing an area around the taiyoukai. The glowing whip snapped and spiraled around his flowing form, confusing his attackers and cutting down more than a few of them.

Taking advantage of their brief lapse, he leapt straight up into the air, leaving the temple far below him as arrows and energy bolts followed him courtesy of the priestesses who had not been affected by his assault. Twisting and dodging in midair, he managed to maneuver himself and evade most of the projectiles and direct himself to the ground outside the temple. Retracting his whip and returning Tōkijin to his sword arm, he stood tall and gathered the energy of the evil being and sent a blast of kentasu at the temple. The blue flames shot forward before licking in frustration around a holy barrier and eventually going out without doing any damage to the grounds.

Growling low slightly in frustration at the surprising power of this group he turned and utilized his returned demon speed now that he was outside the influence of the temple and sped through the forest. The 'grace of the Kami's' obviously granted them more than he'd originally thought as a blast of holy energy crashed through the woods behind him. Throwing Tōkijin up and gripping the sheath of Tenseiga he blocked it just in time as a blast twice the size of any he'd seen before slammed into him knocking him back through the forest and clearing a massive trail of trees behind him in his flight.

This wasn't going to work, he couldn't move quickly enough in this form to get away, and he had no protection anymore, even his hakama shirt was burnt away now leaving his blistered and burnt skin open to view.

With a mighty roar he transformed and slammed his foot down on the first houshi who broke the tree line, completely squishing him with a satisfying crunch before leaping away as they assaulted him once again. Taking massive strides he felt their aura fall behind as he raced away as quickly as he could manage, blood running freely down his legs and chest, massive blotches of fur completely gone the charred flesh exposed to the light of day. Growling angrily he noticed one had reached his face and a burn mark crossed his nose and ran up one cheek.

Growling loudly in annoyance, he realized he didn't even care about the damage to his body, he was more worried about his miko. How was she going to react when he saw her? Would she even notice his return? Or would she be too busy tending to her beloved sword? Shaking his head with a snarl he nearly lost his balance and went down as the blood loss made him dizzy, but he regained his footing and pressed on, the dangerous aura now completely lost behind him.

It had taken all night of traveling and into the morning to reach the temple to begin with and his pace was slowed now as he struggled to continue his headlong run toward his palace where he could heal and gather his forces. _Holy wounds…those take the longest to heal,_ he thought with an inward grimace. He wouldn't be ready to march for a while.

The palace grounds came into sight well after nightfall.

Kagome had spent the day with Akiko/Fubuki, Sho and Yoko, the four… er… five of them seeing to the damage in the gardens and the cleanup of the failed party. Everyone felt lighthearted by the antics of the sword in the neko's body as the two argued with one another creating the most amusing situations.

The miko's mind however was someplace else entirely. A feeling of worry and intense trepidation would not leave her no matter what she argued with to make it go away. She was sure he was angry with her, but she didn't know over what. There was also the sinking feeling that something was wrong, though how she would know she had no idea, so she kept telling herself it was her overactive imagination and nothing more. This didn't help however.

Yoko couldn't help but notice the girl's distraction as the day progressed and wondered greatly about it. There really wasn't any reason for it, so why was Kagome so nervous? Sesshomaru was a taiyoukai and more than capable of taking care of himself and Kagome knew that. The oceanic lady couldn't help but think that something else was wrong with the girl and though the two hadn't mated she was convinced that Kagome was suffering from some of the emotional effects of mating.

Kagome was a pragmatic and realistic girl, but she was irrationally worried and nervous and it was obvious it was over the inuyoukai and not her friends, why? Because there probably _was_ something wrong and she could feel it, but how? That was an emotional side effect of being mated, being able to feel the distress of your mate even though a great distance separates you. It was how Yoko had known that her husband had been killed before news had even reached her.

Because of this Yoko watched Kagome like a hawk all day as she sighed and frowned and kept looking off in the distance though she became much more worried as the girl started to get physically agitated and ceased listening to a single word that was said around her or to her, her little fingers picking at her sleeves nervously, her blue eyes darting back and forth, though looking at nothing in particular.

The miko in question couldn't seem to control herself. She felt like a huge weight was sitting on her chest and it was hard to breathe, her nervous thoughts flitting from wild idea to the next. The notion that Sesshomaru was hurt and needed her kept pounding her brain over and over but she didn't know why or where he even was. By the time the evening rolled around she was a nervous wreck and couldn't even eat any dinner. At this point others began to notice something was wrong with her, but attributed it to her worry for her friends.

Kagome was walking Akiko back to the room they now shared while the neko was recovering when an overwhelming feeling slammed into the miko and she reeled. It was Sesshomaru's aura, but something was terribly wrong.

Turning on her heel she dashed away from a confused Akiko/Fubuki and sprinted toward the courtyard, picking up her skirts in a most unseemingly manner and earning herself a few aghast stares from the palace hands, but she didn't even notice as she lost her sandals in her wild sprint.

Her hair had been left down that day and it fell around her shoulders to her waist in wild disarray as she skidded to a stop in the doorway to the courtyard and the sight that met her eyes made her gasp and her eyes tear over.

Sesshomaru slammed into the door jam of the gate as he attempted to walk through it, a massive crack running up the wood and a long blood stain marring it as he attempted to right himself, his head lowered and his eyes slightly glazed over. Daichi came running into the yard dismissing all the staff not necessary to be there in order to preserve his lord's honor and his dignity.

Putting paw before paw the taiyoukai managed to right himself and move slowly into the yard, alarming amounts of blood dripping to the ground to pool around his paws. Painfully slowly the whirlwind formed around him and he shifted visibly back to human form. Kagome watched in detached horror as his features shrank down and his fur disappeared, his arms reformed and his legs return to human form. His whole body was covered in burns and cuts, a burn ran from his left eye across his nose and down his cheek marring the perfect maroon stripes.

Throwing dignity to the wind she sprinted across the courtyard ignoring the angry cries of Daichi and threw her arms around the naked and injured torso of her youkai.

"Sesshomaru! Oh my Kami, Sesshomaru!" she whispered to him in desperation as he slumped slightly, his golden eyes out of focus. Daichi kept everyone else out of the courtyard except Sho who slipped over to the taiyoukai's other side should he need the support of someone stronger than the young woman.

Fuzzily the taiyoukai registered that he was back in the courtyard of his palace and that there were soft arms around him. Slowly, as if in a dream he leaned his head forward until his nose touched soft raven hair and he inhaled deeply. He wasn't sure if he was hallucinating from blood loss or if she was actually there holding him, but whichever it was, he didn't want it to go away.

Kagome laid a hand on his uninjured cheek when he leaned forward to put his face in her hair, not caring that he was covering her in blood. Daichi moved forward with a protest on his lips when she snapped her head to the side and growled at him, there was no way anyone was taking him away from her, not when he was like this. Daichi backed away a step at the sudden demoness reaction he'd received from her. Strangely enough, he feared her more like this than he did an actual demoness in the same situation.

The little miko slipped under one of his arms and wrapped her arm around his ribs and supported him the best she could and he surprised her by leaning into her so his face was still against her hair, not that she minded.

"It's ok, Sesshomaru, let's get you to your room and I'll help fix you up," she said softly and was rewarded with a small grunt. Guiding him gently she let him keep his head in her hair and his eyes closed as she led him slowly down the hallway until she realized something, she had no idea where his room was. "Um, Sho?" nodding with a small smile he took the lead, though keeping an eye behind him on the condition of his lord and led the two in the direction of his room while Daichi took care of things in the courtyard.

Not even Akiko and Fubuki were allowed near Sesshomaru and Kagome while they were like this. Most of them understood that something emotional was going on between the two of them and it was wise to maintain a distance until things calmed down.

Sho opened the screen to a large room and Kagome couldn't help but gasp slightly. The room was beautiful, decorated in white and blue silks, the only actual decoration being the blue symbol of the crescent moon over the western style bed and the painting on the opposite wall of a dog youkai that looked remarkably like a larger version of Sesshomaru. Guiding him carefully she had him sit on the edge of the bed before tearing off portions of her kimono to bandage the worst of the injuries.

"Sho, hurry and get the healer and return quickly," Kagome commanded and Sho couldn't help but snap to and do as she'd ordered. Gently she detached his face from her hair earning an uncharacteristically disappointed sigh from the demon, but she ignored it in favor of paying attention to his wounds.

Her heart sank as she realized they were holy wounds. No wonder he was in such bad shape… he'd been attacked by apparently very strong holy powers. Kagome ripped more of her kimono to blot at the rivulets of blood still running down his body and help stem the flow.

Sesshomaru's mind refused to work. He was sure that was actually Kagome touching him and tending to him, but his mind didn't want to believe it. It was a trick, the real Kagome was busy with Fubuki, right? His eyes took on a touch of their characteristic coldness and he weakly pushed her hands away with a growl that brought her bright blue eyes to his face with a look of surprise. Attempting to stand and move away from the apparition, he found it was a very bad idea as a wave of dizziness made him stumble.

He wanted to growl as Kagome appeared in front of him again until he realized why her eyes looked unnaturally bright, the scent of tears, real tears reaching his nose and a few of the diamond drops slipped from the dark lashes to run down her cheeks.

"Sesshomaru, please…please let me…" her voice trembled and she stopped when his hand came up, a look of complete fascination on his face as he ran one clawed finger down her cheek from under her eye following the trail of tears as if he'd never seen them before.

If this was an apparition, then he was a powerful hallucinator if he could feel her and smell her tears. The thought struck him, she was crying, why? Was she crying for him? The dizziness clouded his vision and he stumbled again, her little arms went around him and hid her face from him as she pressed against his chest and gently sat him back on the bed.

Moving in front of him again and tearing off more shreds of kimono, she blotted at the blood oozing from the burn mark on his face as more tears ran down her face. She couldn't help but feel like this was partially her fault, she'd made him so angry that he had left and put himself in danger. His voice startled her.

"Miko," he said so softly she had to strain to hear him, "why are you crying?" he asked as more tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Gomen, Sesshomaru, gomen," she choked, "I didn't mean to make you angry, gomen," he stared at her in fascination as she continued, "I failed you in that fight, I failed Fubuki, I failed Akiko, they got injured because of me and now you've become injured because of me… and I didn't even make sure you were alright after that fight because I was so worried about Fubuki and Akiko," she could barely speak she was choking on her sobs so hard, her bangs covering her eyes as waterfalls of tears ran down her face. "Now you're hurt and it's all my fault. I'm too weak and I understand if you hate me now," she was rambling and she knew it, but she couldn't seem to stop the words now that they had started.

Now wasn't that a kick in the gut? Here he ran off in jealousy thinking that she was paying more attention to another male instead of him and he had forgotten one thing that made Kagome who she was, her unending worry and care for those around her. She wasn't fawning over Fubuki because she loved him more, she was caring for not only one friend but two who were dying and now she was blaming herself for his own injury.

Lifting her chin with a clawed finger, he made her lift her eyes to his own, for once leaving them unguarded and heard her breath hitch at what she found there. His eyes slid closed as he leaned forward and took advantage of her slightly parted lips to claim her mouth. She was everything he wanted and she was so warm and tasted so good. His beast yipped happily as he felt her shiver and press herself closer against him, returning the kiss as hungrily as he.

The feeling of blood under the fingertips on his chest brought her singing mind back to reality and she pushed him away earning herself a low growl that made her giggle. At least now she knew where she stood for the moment, there was no doubt about that look in his eyes but that he loved her. The warmth in those golden orbs made her shiver delightfully right down to her toes, but believe it or not there was a more pressing matter at hand and she pushed him back when he tried to move in to claim her mouth again.

"Not now, Sesshomaru, you're still bleeding badly and we need to take care of those injuries first," when he growled huskily in response and tried to pull her closer again she giggled and pushed his hands away. "Down doggie, now be a good boy," she teased him and a challenge lit his guilded eyes and a wash of relief as well as anticipation ran over her at his return of his personality.

"And what do I get if I'm good," he asked cocking his head slightly as she turned her burning face away from him in order to tend to one of the burns on his arm. _He always turns things around and makes me blush so embarrassingly much! It's not fair!_ The taiyoukai smirked at the bright red that rushed over her cheeks at his comment.

"I'll spare you the beating I was going to give you for running off like that," Kagome said irritably and his eyes narrowed.

"That's not a good enough reason for me to be good," he said teasingly and Kagome felt herself roughly dropped on the bed and Sesshomaru looming over her, his black and red stained silver hair hanging all around them.

"Sesshomaru, really! I have to begin healing your wounds before you lose too much blood!" she said pressing her hands against his chest as he had begun inching closer to her.

"Not until you give me a good enough reason to," he said menacingly and she shivered at the husky tone of his voice.

"Well, what's it going to take?" she asked and immediately regretted it when she saw the predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Once I'm healed, you are to train with me every morning until you are capable of defeating me and you are to train in the way I specify," he said haughtily and her jaw dropped.

"But that could take centuries and I won't live that long, that's not fair!" she protested and he looked at her stoically.

"Take it or leave it," he said and started inching closer. Her cheeks flushed crimson and she panicked.

"Ok ok! You've got a deal! Now behave yourself!" she cried, pressing her head against the silk to keep him at a distance. Smirking he sat up slowly as his injuries continued to ooze, ignoring the intense dizziness that washed over him at moving so much. His whole body was screaming at him and even his beast seemed subdued for the moment. Her face immediately creased with worry as she pressed cloth against yet another bleeding wound and his eyes remained glued to her face in fascination over the amount of worry she seemed to have for him.

"Sit still," she commanded and he bristled, but did as he was told. Her tiny hands were placed over the worst of his injuries one by one and the trademark pink glow filled the room as they slowly closed. Each one she worked on he felt the cooling of the healing process and the warmth of her aura wafting over him relaxing him. He hadn't quite realized just how tired he was until then and he wavered slightly. Kagome stopped healing long enough to take hold of him and lay him down before returning to her ministrations.

Sesshomaru reveled in the feeling of her small but powerful hands all over his bare skin, her holy aura of a different and much more calming nature than those monsters who'd done this. Slowly he felt his eyes drift shut and fell into a deep healing sleep as Kagome continued to heal the worst of his injuries.

The little miko watched him as he drifted off and realized she had never seen the man actually asleep before. His maroon tinted eyelids were closed peacefully and his unusual silver eyelashes brushed against his pale cheeks, his silver bangs parted across his forehead revealing the blue crescent in the middle of his brow. She winced as her eyes fell on the burn mark still on his face before reaching one hand up and gently laying it on the bridge of his nose. The hand glowed pink and the burn slowly receded leaving soft healed skin behind. The skin where the injuries had been would be slightly pink and more sensitive for a while until his body's normal healing process took over and healed them completely, but it was better than bleeding to death.

The healer had entered the room unnoticed during their exchange and had decided that for his own state of well being he would leave the couple alone until called for and remained outside the door within yelling distance.

Eventually Kagome managed to heal up the worst of the burns and all the bleeding wounds before exhaustion overtook her and she laid her head down as she knelt by the bed, taking his hand in both her own and closing her eyes.

During the night the healer had poked his head into the room to check on the couple and found a fairly well healed taiyoukai and an exhausted miko asleep at his bedside. The lord of the west he knew though would need a few more weeks of healing. Holy wounds did damage to the youki of the demon as well as his actual body. Though the exterior wounds appeared to almost have been completely closed up, they would linger a long time and the youki would require healing time as well. Shaking his head slightly, a small smile on his face, he knew his lord and lady would be fine for the moment and left them to their rest.

A few hours later Sesshomaru's eyes opened and he discovered he felt a lot better than he had anticipated. Sure, he ached like he'd been beaten the crap out of by a dragon, but all the stinging wounds were gone and he felt strangely refreshed and calm. Turning his head he caught sight of the raven head of his little miko who was sound asleep kneeling by his bed.

Looking down he found his hand clasped between both her small ones and couldn't stop the small smile that reached his face. His miko had healed him until she was exhausted and still remained by his side instead of returning to her own bed to rest, her calming aura allowing him to sleep more easily and heal faster. Sitting up he winced and almost let out a groan… _yup, that still hurt._ Under the pinkish skin that remained from where his body had been injured he could feel the lingering aching wounds to his youki and knew this would be a long and painful recovery. He hurt right down through his bones and into his being… _ouch. _

The beast growled in agreement.

Disentangling his hand from hers, he knelt beside her and gently lifted her, ignoring his screaming muscles and laying her on the bed before removing the bloody blanket that had been on there and throwing a clean silk sheet over her. Nodding in satisfaction he stretched his complaining body and headed off even though it was the dead of night to the hot springs to get rid of the stinking residual blood on his skin and in his hair.

Returning a short while later much cleaner and stinkless, he approached his screen door to be overwhelmed by the panicked and fear filled aura of his miko. Throwing the door open and rushing to the bedside, he found her still asleep, though in the throes of a nightmare. Letting out his breath in relief, he shut the door quietly and returned to her side.

The small woman looked even smaller and more fragile in his large bed, the sheets covered her tiny form as she tossed on her side, gripping the bottom sheet in her small hands. She calmed almost immediately when he touched her cheek gently.

The stench of blood and sweat hit his nose as he sat by her side and he cursed himself for forgetting that she was still in her soiled kimono that she had torn off large chunks of in order to bandage him. His mind raced, unsure of what to do. He couldn't leave her in such a nasty garment, but he couldn't remove it and preserve her honor either. Though he wanted her for a mate, he had to be careful and not force it on her and scare her.

Whirling to his closet he pulled one of his sleeping kimonos from within, opening the soft, pure white and silky garment and draping it over her form. Gently and with great care he slipped her out of her dirtied kimono, keeping her covered and tossed it to the floor before wrapping her completely in the clean sleeping kimono and securing it around her, not once disturbing her.

Softly, he returned his little miko to a comfortable sleeping position before slipping onto the bed beside her, his own sleeping kimono wrapped around his aching body and pulled her gently to him. She surprised him by curling up into his side with her face against his chest and sighing contentedly in her sleep. The beast purred happily as Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her slight form and let sleep overtake him again.


	32. Chapter 32

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

My deepest apology, my dear readers, for the quality of this chapter. It's shorter than my usual and it's just not a very good one. I've had horrible writer's block all week and was only finally able to overcome it last night and the night before.

By the way, what's the Inuyasha Fan Guild? I've been told on my other submission site that I was going to be nominated for some awards I guess, but then I received an email from fanfiction telling me that I've been nominated for best original character and best action/adventure. What does that mean? I'm sorry, I'm a noob to the fanfiction world. Anyways, I guess that means that people have voted for me, so if you did, THANK YOU!

Well, I'm off to work! Enjoy and remember to R&R! X3

Chapter 32

Sunlight slanted through the window and played across the sleeping miko's face earning a groan from the small female. It was entirely too warm and comfortable at that moment to be disturbed by something so trivial as _morning_, so she snuggled deeper and buried her face against her source of warmth to rid herself of the incessant light. Her fuzzy mind however began to realize that the pillow she'd attempted to hide against was much harder than any pillow she'd remembered sleeping on when she began to feel a slight vibration against her nose and forehead, the slightest sound of purring could be heard over her own breathing.

_Wait ... purring?_ Lifting her head ever so slowly, she cracked her eyes open and glanced up, squinting in the bright morning sunlight trying to discern just why her pillow felt different and was purring at her.

Sesshomaru had watched in fascination whilst his little miko slept, her head resting on his chest and one arm draped across his torso, the morning sun creeping across the bed until it lit up her pale face, giving her a golden glow and lighting her hair in highlights of midnight blue against the raven strands. A small smile graced his features as her little face had scrunched up against the light, her eyes squinting tightly shut before burrowing into his chest and causing him all sorts of internal problems. A small purr had escaped him a the feelings she was causing, but he was glad it did when she stopped moving at the small sound and seemed to be groggily thinking things through.

The taiyoukai wanted to laugh out loud as the young woman slowly dragged her head up until her chin rested against his chest and cautiously cracked one sapphire eye open the slightest bit, clearly not ready to face the world yet. His desire to laugh grew even more intense when her eyes became impossibly wide despite the light and an alluring blush stained her cheeks when she realized just _who_ her pillow was. Truthfully, he couldn't remember how the two of them had gotten into their current position with her draped over top him since he himself had fallen back to sleep having needed more rest in order to heal and just being too comfortable with her in his arms. However, he wasn't going to complain.

"Sess-Sesshomaru!" she made a move to get up, but an arm of steel was wrapped around her waist and held her in place and all her squirming accomplished was to make the shoulders of her too-large-sleeping robe slip off and almost make a very interested taiyoukai growl… almost.

"Yes, little miko?" he asked using his free hand to delicately slip her robe back onto her shoulders, though the expanse of bare white shoulders was nice to look at, earning a deeper blush from the young woman.

"Um… how uh… how did I get here? I thought I fell asleep next to the bed…" she pulled the robe protectively up around her neck with one hand as she looked around herself in confusion. Propping himself up so he could continue to look down at her more easily he began running one long fingered hand through her hair, letting the raven tresses slip through his claws to fall in a feathered mass about her shoulders.

"You did indeed fall asleep next to the bed, little one," unconsciously Kagome's eyes became half lidded during his ministrations to her hair. "I awoke during the night to clean myself of the stench from my battle and found you still here, so I took the liberty of making you more comfortable," he informed her, a self-satisfied smirk on his handsome features.

"Oh!" Kagome's head came back up and her eyes came open wide again and her fingers immediately found where the burn had been on his face, inspecting the new skin before moving on down to his shoulders. Sesshomaru loosened his hold on her in order to let her examine him. He was purposefully sat up and his robe was pushed off his shoulders as she maneuvered him around so she could fully see where each of the burns had been, touching the pink skin with little fingers in her little examination. The inuyoukai watched in amusement as she poked and prodded at his shoulders, arms and ribs, refusing to wince even when it really did still hurt. Her little fingers were leaving small fiery trails down his skin wherever they touched, even more magnified by the newer healing skin and that particular heat had nothing to do with the fact that he was injured.

Capturing her tiny hands in one of his own, he ignored the fact that he was still shirtless and pulled her across the bed to him, turning her around with his other arm so that she sat in his lap sideways.

"Kagome, we have much to discuss," he began and finally his small miko managed to get her thoughts back into some semblance of order because she turned to face him with a reproving expression on her face.

"Yes we do, Mr. High-and-mighty!" Sesshomaru raised an elegant eyebrow at her but she plunged on. "I get attacked out in the gardens, Fubuki gets broken, Akiko is injured and you kill the bad guy and then just leave! On top of that, you give no one an explanation for the attack, worry me sick by disappearing for an entire day and then come back bleeding like a sieve! With holy burns no less!" Sesshomaru cocked his head.

"Sieve?" Kagome glared at him.

"Never mind, you're changing the subject," she pouted, crossing her arms and he had the sudden urge to get rid of her pout with his own lips, but shoved the thought to the side… for a while.

"My dearest little Kagome, if you would just be _silent_ for a moment and let me explain instead of throwing wild accusations around, I'm sure you will be _satisfied_ when I'm through," Kagome blushed deep crimson.

"Wild accusations!" she sputtered but he placed an elegant finger over her lips to keep her quiet. She shifted in his lap and he had to stifle a groan.

"I had a lead that I needed to investigate that involved a group of holy men and women and it turned out they were a lot more powerful than Takehiko or I had even dreamed of thinking. As for leaving right after the battle in the gardens, Sho and Daichi had everything in hand, so there was no need to stay and you seemed preoccupied. It seemed the ideal time to go," he smoothed over and Kagome gave him a dubious glare.

_I was also insanely jealous, but she doesn't need to know that. _The beast snickered.

"I do, my little one, have an explanation as to _why_ Fubuki was broken," Kagome immediately perked up much to his annoyance. "The snake leader was carrying a sentient dagger that was in essence Fubuki's complete polar opposite. It is difficult to get such a large soul to attach itself to a dagger instead of a sword, however if it is successful then the blade's power is magnified due to its small size. The snake took advantage of a moment of Fubuki's distraction and struck at his weakest point, which even in human form is the same spot, and managed to snap him in half," Kagome listened in fascinated horror.

"Oh," she began looking away, "speaking of which… I um… I invited …someone over to uh… to fix Fubuki," Sesshomaru looked at her curiously when she began stammering and knew instantly she was keeping something from him. Lowering his face so he was nose to nose with her, he forced her to look at him and held her in place with a hand behind her neck.

"Out with it," Kagome's eyes got impossibly wide.

"I invited Totosai over!" she blurted out and Sesshomaru wanted to laugh. Obviously the woman thought he bore the sword smith ill will of some sort, but he kept his expression grim.

"Well then… I suppose I shall let him live until he's finished with Fubuki," Kagome eeped. The taiyoukai leaned back and ran a self satisfied hand through her raven tresses. "But now… on to more interesting subjects," he began and Kagome looked at him curiously and he had to resist the urge to chuckle, she was so adorable.

Briefly the colder part of him told him not to do this because she was indeed human and of course the great lord Sesshomaru needed no one. Pushing his thoughts aside, he knew he _did _need her. Sitting up and ignoring the fact that he was still shirtless and she was in a sleeping kimono and that this was hardly the environment to do this in, he took her tiny hands in his big clawed ones and made sure he had the absolute attention of those saucer-like blue eyes, though he doubted he would have had to try very hard to gain her attention anyway.

"Miko Higurashi Kagome, this Taiyoukai Sesshomaru would like the honor of courting you with the intent to take you as a mate. Will you accept this Sesshomaru's offer?" Repressing a snicker, he watched in amusement as her jaw dropped and threatened to fall off her head entirely and she looked as if she were going to faint.

Kagome's mind refused to work. _Did he just offer to court me! Yes I believe he did! Wait, that's the same as being engaged…engaged to Sesshomaru… ice prince of the west…very hot ice prince of the west…oh shut up and think! _Finally her brain began to work enough to realize that he was indeed still sitting there waiting patiently for her answer. _Say something!_

"A-are you sure?" _no not that! Great going, Kagome._ One silver eyebrow raised.

"Are you questioning this Sesshomaru's sincerity?" _good one, Kagome, now you've insulted him._

"I mean…. it's just that I… I mean…I'm going to _die_ sometime…" Kagome stuttered looking away, but she felt his hands cupping her face and forcing her to look up into his golden eyes and like the night before, they were completely unguarded and took her breath away.

"Kagome, though it would be a short time together, at least from my perspective, it would be well worth the centuries alone as long as I had memories to keep me company in the dead of night," tears welled up in her cerulean eyes. She'd never in all her life ever expected to hear something like that from the ice prince of the west.

"S-Sess-Sesshomaru…." she was having trouble even getting his name out through her choking tears.

"So what do you say, little miko? Can I have you for at least a little while?" Sesshomaru was all wavy through her tears, but her aim was accurate as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Y-yes!" Sesshomaru's arms came around her in almost a crushing hug as she clung to him and his nose nuzzled the crook of her neck, breathing of her deeply and anticipating the moment when her scent would be permanently mingled with his. The beast was howling within his chest to take her now, but he knew he needed to move slowly with his fragile yet so strong miko and make sure she knew everything she was getting herself into.

Their news was met with overwhelming approval, at least from those present, and many excited voices began yelling overtop one another for dominance creating a nice jumbled blur that Kagome wasn't entirely able to make out.

"That's wonderful congrat – this means a celebrat – oh, how wonderful a weddi – LOTS OF SAKE – wonder what other demons will – who will represent – have my body back by then – TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF MY BOOBS!" The last yell from Akiko stopped all the buzz of conversation and the entire room turned in comical silence to stare at the poor servant who was clutching her hands against her thighs as if her life depended on it, her face an embarrassed and angry flush. Suddenly the entire room except for Sesshomaru burst out into uncontrollable peals of laughter. Yoko wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat.

"So, how long until the ceremony?" she asked regaining control of her breathing.

"It will take place as soon as Kagome deems herself prepared," Sesshomaru responded and Kagome's head snapped up to look at him, a questioning look in her eyes and Yoko nodded in understanding.

"Kagome-chan, we'll have to go over with you what happens in youkai ceremony in order to prepare you and then once you understand what's required of you it will be up to you as to when the ceremony is." Kagome still looked slightly confused, but decided to drop it since she had the distinct impression that part of the conversation would involve embarrassing things.

"Now, on to the next order of business," Sesshomaru began and all attention turned to him, "it would appear that Totosai should be arriving in just a few days time, and I believe I have promised not to kill him until he's finished fixing Fubuki…(Sesshomaru's telling jokes!)" everyone looked at each other in amusement, Sesshomaru must be in a good mood if he's joking around. "However, I do believe I know the reason that Fubuki was broken in the first place." The entire table leaned forward as he raised his arm above the surface, his long draping sleeve covering the glossy finish before retracting the appendage along with the aura he'd had tightly controlled around it leaving a fiercely red glowing dagger on the table where his hand had been. Akiko braced her hands suddenly on the table, a dazed look coming over her, but she spoke in Fubuki's voice.

"A fire elemental…" everyone present stared at the dagger.

"How was a dagger capable of breaking a sword, if you don't mind my asking," Takehiko voiced from the other side of the table and Akiko's body gave him a look.

"If you doubt my prowess you should just say it," Fubuki said with a dramatically raised eyebrow to which mumbling was heard from Takehiko's direction that was something to the effect of stupid spirits who shouldn't be allowed to leave their swords. Turning his attention back to the dagger he stared at it through Akiko's eyes intently.

"I don't even have to touch it to know that the dagger has a very powerful spirit bound to it. A very angry elemental. The process of binding a soul to a sword is very tricky and can be dangerous. The longer and larger the blade, the easier it is to transfer the soul. However, if a binding-smith is capable of placing a soul successfully into a smaller blade, the power of the soul is magnified making it stronger, but entirely unstable. In other words, the smaller the blade, the greater the power and the greater the chance of the spirit going insane." He/she looked at the blade sadly.

"So the burst of power that occurred when the power of your combined 'blades' collided it was enough to break you in half," Kagome finished, using the word 'blade' though he had been in human form.

"Exactly," Fubuki nodded Akiko's head.

"Ah, that does indeed make a lot more sense now," all the other demons around the table nodded and Sesshomaru briefly wondered to himself how on earth he had acquired so many semi-permanent house guests. "However, now on to more _interesting _subjects," Fubuki huffed, "I take it your visit to the holy temple did not go well?" Takehiko asked Sesshomaru earning him a glare of death.

"Oh! But Sesshomaru! You really should consider letting them burn the rest of your skin," Kagome blanched, "the pink tint of this new skin really is more preferable to that of 'death warmed over' pale," Fubuki was nodding vigorously and Kagome 'eeped' at the look Sesshomaru was sending the sword/neko's way.

"If you were not in a woman's body, then I would let you test out the 'beauty treatment' first, elemental…_pale_ water elemental," Sesshomaru added and the whole table burst out laughing again. "If I wanted fashion advice, then I most certainly would not ask _you,_" he picked up his teacup regally and ignored the ragtag group that was now gasping for breath.

"FUBUKI! If I have to keep inadvertently saving your ass then you're gonna be in big trouble! This whole 'in a woman's body' thing is only going to get you so far!" the whooping laughter magnified until the whole table was roaring, all that could be seen of Toshi was his knees since he'd fallen over and was rolling on the floor and Yoko's head was down on the table, her shoulders shaking violently.

The only member of the table that was strangely detached was Matsu who kept glancing at his cousin in such a worried manner that Kagome felt for the poor young neko. A thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Sesshomaru, an announcement was never made the other night about Matsu's proposal for southern lord," Sesshomaru's golden eyes slid in her direction and she had the distinct impression that he had a 'now why did you have to bring that up' expression hidden in those fathomless orbs.

"Indeed, an announcement was not made because someone is incapable of avoiding trouble long enough for anything to be done properly," the table's occupants were ready to fall off their cushions, who was this guy and what did he do with the taiyoukai of the west? Better yet, how much of his fortune did he have to dish out for a sense of humor? Having a sense of humor installed in such a cold person must have been expensive! Kagome's face flushed bright red.

"Well if I recall correctly I wasn't the one who threw a temper tantrum and ran out of the palace like a two year old brat who hasn't gotten his way! Which I might add ended up getting said _two year old_ extremely badly injured!" All heads turned back to Sesshomaru.

"If someone hadn't been down on the job and kept their wits about them there might not have been an attack at all, miss 'I can sense auras,'" all heads turned back to Kagome.

"Well, mister 'I have demon senses,' YEA! Maybe someone should have been doing their job!" all heads turned back to Sesshomaru.

"This is gonna be one hell of a marriage," Yoko whispered to Hoshiko who nodded with huge eyes.

"Perhaps, but unlike some people, some of us have real responsibilities and don't have time to act like a two year old who needs to romp in the gardens in the middle of an important event," all heads turned back to Kagome.

"HA! You can't use an insult I've already used! I win! So there!" Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her tongue out at the taiyoukai of the west in a remarkable impression of a 'two year old.' Sesshomaru stared at her with his emotionless mask firmly in place for a few moments, letting the little miko think she'd won the fight.

Just as Kagome was about to gloat her victory in the blink of an eye he was gone from his seat and standing beside where she had been sitting before. _Had_ been because she was now tucked securely under his left arm with her backside facing forward getting a nice face full of silver hair. Giving the rest of the room a curt nod and ignoring the kicking, screaming, swearing, and shrieking miko he turned and left the dining hall.

The room watched him go in silence, only youkai reserve keeping their jaws off the floor before blinking a few times at the blank space where the couple had been.

"Well, I think I want a bath," Yoko said and the men jumped in their seats. Hoshiko nodded and the two women rose leaving the men behind to still blink with dazed expressions at the empty cushions.

Sesshomaru walked in a slow but purposeful pace down the hall, still completely ignoring the woman tucked under his arm. The woman in question had finally given up struggling and hung limply from his grasp, letting her arms and legs dangle toward the floor boards that were passing beneath her, admiring the nice shine that the floors had and making a mental note to say something to her staff about doing such a good job.

_My staff_, a shiver ran up her spine at the thought and Sesshomaru bit back a smirk at the little tremor he felt go through his little miko.

The ground beneath her swinging hands and feet changed as she felt him step down, it was no longer floor boards but now stone with grass on either side, _oh, we're in the gardens now…I wonder where he's bringing me?_ She watched detachedly as the stone turned to grass, wondering how long she'd be able to stand so much blood pressure to her head before something popped until suddenly she felt the whole world turning… or maybe that was her being turned and the world standing still… either way it was rather disconcerting, until she found herself lying on her back in the grass with a triumphantly smirking taiyoukai kneeling over her.

"You knew that this Sesshomaru would not tolerate your behavior back there and now you will have to pay the price," Kagome realized too late that he had brought both of them to a very secluded part of the gardens that was un-viewable from the palace. Pinning her arms with one of his hands, he grabbed her side and started tickling her. The little miko squealed and squirmed, but unfortunately there really wasn't a whole lot that could be done and soon her eyes were streaming with tears from her laughter.

"Now, little one, I think I'm supposed to be hearing a graceful apology…" he pinned her to the ground beneath his weight and held one of her hands in each of his, his face close enough to feel her warm breath. Kagome merely responded with a grin and a firmly planted kiss on the end of his nose to which he did a very comical impression of a dog who's just had something odd placed on his snout and was trying to wiggle it off with the muscles of his face making the raven haired miko only laugh harder.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the little woman who 'eeped' and squirmed underneath him. His eyes took on a predatory gleam as he moved in… _yes, courting her will definitely be enjoyable._


	33. Chapter 33

AUTHOR'S CORNER - I'm back! Dear Kami it only took forever, I'm so sorry guys. I've been exhausted lately, but tomorrow's my first day off in a while, so I'm gonna celebrate by actually sleeping past 8:00am. :) I didn't have a whole lot of time this week, but I managed to squeeze out a short chapter... hopefully things will be easier next week, my schedule will be more even and I won't have the crazy stuff going on that I've had since my promotion... O.o

Anyways, not one of my better chapters, but still... enjoy!

OH! And thank you for all your kind reviews and your emails answering my IYFG question!

Chapter 33

_Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to promise not to kill him…_ The taiyoukai resisted the urge to sigh aloud at the spectacle in his courtyard. The servants had announced the pending arrival of an extremely skinny man on a three eyed cow who was swerving alarmingly through the clouds. Kagome had rushed around excitedly before finally finding her head again, giving Sesshomaru a calming peck on the cheek and grabbing the poor overly-full neko demon by the hand and dragging her out into the mid morning light.

The cow landed none-too-gracefully on the ground and fairly soon the reason for the erratic flying behavior was brought to light. Two angry voices floated to them from across the yard, though it was very apparent that there was only one person sitting on the cow, or so it appeared.

"Myouga-jii!" Kagome exclaimed, finally recognizing the voice and hurrying over.

"Kagome-sama!" she suddenly felt a prick on her neck and plucked the bothersome flea from his perch nose deep in the flesh of her neck to hold him in her palm. "Kagome-sama! It is so good to see you in such good health! Totosai was refusing to come, but I knew Sesshomaru-sama had to have _some_ forgiveness in him if _you_ were living here! So I insisted that we pay a visit as you had requested!" the little flea was oblivious to the veins popping out in the priestess's forehead.

"Well, that's quite a nice way to greet an old friend," Kagome gritted out and Myouga sweat dropped, realizing his blunder. "Totosai," the old man jerked weirdly from his perch still atop the cow before eyeing his surroundings nervously, "there is no reason to fear, I have extracted a promise from Sesshomaru that you will not be harmed," Kagome smiled disarmingly at him and he relaxed slightly before he noticed the ice youkai himself standing nearby, arms crossed over his broad chest and a cold gleam in his amber eyes. The sword smith opted to stay on his cow for the moment.

"I am so glad you both came, some friends of mine are in a lot of trouble and we need to see if you can fix the sword, Totosai," the bug-eyed man stared at her in confusion while Myouga hopped excitedly on her shoulder.

"Anything for our Kagome-sama!" he said in his most regal voice, which for a flea is not all that impressive. The priestess turned then and took Akiko by the hand, drawing the poor neko forward.

"This, gentlemen is Akiko … and Fubuki," she finished awkwardly, the flea on her shoulder stopped bouncing.

"But Kagome-sama, there is only one person standing there…" he began and Kagome glanced at him imploringly.

"Yes, I know. There is one _body_ standing there, but it currently houses two souls," Totosai's eyes nearly popped completely out of his head. "Akiko, this is Totosai the sword-smith and Myouga the flea advisor to Sesshomaru's family," Akiko bowed at the waist politely.

"Pleasure to meet you both," she said politely, Myouga bowed in return, but Totosai just stared.

"And… Fubuki? Are you paying attention?" Kagome asked Akiko's body.

"Yes, hime," Fubuki's voice came from Akiko's throat. Totosai's eyes bugged impossibly big before he froze completely and fell right off the back of his cow. Myouga was sputtering and pinging around excitedly while servants ran around the side of the cow to help the sword smith to his feet. Kagome shifted nervously.

"Totosai, Fubuki is an elemental spirit whose soul was bound to the blade of a katana. A few nights ago the blade was broken in half by an elemental blade of polar power. Fubuki was saved only through putting him into the injured body of Akiko so that the blade can be fixed." Totosai had finally righted himself and was listening intently to the young miko. He began shaking his head doubtfully before she even finished.

"A sword of that amount of power is not easily forged. Fixing a broken blade of that kind would be close to impossible," flakes of dead skin went flying as he scratched his balding head with his stunted claws. "Then there's the problem of transferring the soul back into the sword and the binding spell to keep it there…" his eyes took on a glassy look as he contemplated the impossibilities and he missed the crestfallen faces of Kagome and Akiko as his words sunk in. Distractedly, he pulled a pipe seemingly from thin air and went to place the pre-lit, foul smelling thing in his mouth.

His hand reached his face before he realized that the pipe was no longer there and he looked around in confusion until a very cold and irritated Sesshomaru filled his vision nearly making the poor demon's heart stop in his chest.

"This Sesshomaru's promise to Kagome was that you would live as long as you continued to be useful to her," the taiyoukai paused for dramatic effect and the sword-smith swallowed hard, "will you refuse to even attempt to fix the sword of my future mate?" he asked coldly and was satisfied to see Totosai and Myouga's eyes pop out of their heads simultaneously.

"Now if you are quite finished wasting our time," the older demons cringed, "you would do well to preserve your lives and see what can be done to fix the sword." Both nodded vigorously and followed sheepishly as the couple turned to head back inside, followed by their usual entourage. Sho and Daichi exchanged knowing glances before falling in behind the two troublemakers to bring up the rear.

The procession halted suddenly as the lord of the west stopped and cast a glance back over his shoulder, the small miko on his arm giving him a puzzled look which he ignored in favor of catching the sword-smith's eyes in a cold glare that froze the very blood in his veins.

"The cow stays outside." Totosai fell of the animal in question, hitting the ground stiffly with a dull thud as the silver haired lord resumed his march with a reproving fiancé on his arm. The balding demon lay twitching for a few moments while the cow was led away toward the stables. Only Myouga's reminder of the precarious state of his continued health spurred the traumatized demon back into mobility again and they followed the group into the castle.

A few minutes later he was seated cross legged in one of the castle's workshops, a worried and doubtful look creasing his already creased face, the pieces of the broken blade settled across his knobby knees and the dagger responsible sitting quietly in his hand as he regarded it.

"A sword of water and holy energy and a dagger of fire and demon energy…" his forehead creased even more, reminding Kagome of a chow puppy, though less cute. Her attention returned to him as he shook his head, almost as if in disbelief. "Every time a sword is used, whether damaged or not, it carries an irreparable impression of every stroke… most of the time this builds the character of the sword…" he shook his head again, "the damage done may not be able to be undone and will require quite a bit of time until we find out." Finally he looked up from his appraisal and was met with the anxious faces crowded around him, taking in each in turn until his bug-like eyes finally rested on the cold visage of Sesshomaru by the door, nearly cutting himself as he tensed violently. "But I'm sure that with some time and research I will be successful!" he chirped, his voice taking on a high pitched squeak.

"We will wait for your results," Sesshomaru said coldly as he took Kagome's arm and led her from the room, "if my patience holds out," he added softly enough for only Kagome to hear earning himself a poke in the ribs and a giggle. The petite miko glanced over her shoulder in time to see Akiko kneel down quietly near the panicking sword-smith and a sad smile crossed her face as she sent a silent prayer to the Kami's that this would work before returning her attention to the demon by her side.

"You, my lord, are the most egotistical, self-centered and meanest person I know!" she scolded and was rewarded with a trademark sidelong glance. "There was no need to threaten the poor man!" his eyes slid back to the front before he responded.

"I will agree with everything but the self-centered part. I believe I am doing this for _you_ and the sake of your handmaiden's sanity," the little priestess gave him a look, but he continued, "I simply gave him incentive. You cannot deny that he is motivated now," Kagome rolled her eyes and gave an unladylike snort. Before she could take another breath she found her lips pinched in between two long, clawed fingers and proceeded to glower up the length of the white silk clad arm of their owner. "You, my dear, need to be taught lessons in acting like a lady," Kagome attempted a response, but all that came out was a muffled jumble of sounds.

"I'm sorry, my little one, I couldn't understand you, do try to speak more clearly," he missed the death glare Kagome sent him as he turned to speak to an approaching servant, commanding him to collect the lords and herd them to his study for a meeting.

Kagome took advantage of his momentary distraction to pull her lips free from his grasp and bite the offending appendages, taking them securely, though gently between small white teeth. Sesshomaru's head snapped around as the servant beat a hasty retreat. He was suddenly very glad he had chosen a rather loose fitting hakama that morning, otherwise things could have gotten quite a bit more difficult on him. If her biting him wasn't bad enough, just the picture she presented standing there with his slender fingers between her pearly little teeth and perfectly pink lips, a small playful snarl creasing her little nose nearly drove him over the edge.

Removing his fingers one at a time from her grasp, he caught her chin and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear.

"If you persist in such activities then I might be forced to speed things up to suit my own time table," he whispered huskily against her ear, making the small woman cling to him and shiver slightly, "now, I believe we have somewhere we need to be," he reminded her before running his lips down the bare skin of her neck and then pulling away, pleased with the look of irritation and loss that crossed her features. His features were the picture of control and perfection as he offered her his arm and led the stewing miko away, slightly concerned that he still wasn't able to fully control certain other rebellious parts of his anatomy.

Sesshomaru slid the door to his office study open just in time for he and Kagome to witness Yoko pounce on Toshi and begin pulling on his feathers, protesting loudly about something that neither could quite make out while Takehiko shook his head and rubbed his temples as if he had a migraine building and Matsu watched from safely across the room, his gaze fixed on them in horrified fascination. Yoko stopped tormenting the young noble long enough to give the couple a casual "yo" before resuming her activities, completely ignoring the squawking of the younger man.

The lord of the west seated himself at his desk and Kagome settled comfortably to his right before the two finally finished their squabble, the aquatic lady leaping back triumphantly, a bright orange feather clutched in her nimble fingers and retreating to her cushion across the room.

"Oi! What was that for!" the disgruntled bird demon asked indignantly, rubbing his head where the feather used to be.

"You know exactly what it was for!" the teal haired lady quipped back before sticking her tongue out at him in a rather mature manner. Kagome stifled a giggle before leaning closer to her future mate.

"Should I take lessons in lady-like behavior from Yoko-sama, my lord?" she whispered, hiding her smile behind her hand, though her eyes twinkled cerulean mischief.

"You, I will deal with you later, little one," he whispered back and was disappointed to see that upon turning back Yoko gave Kagome a conspiratorial wink and his own person a thumbs up before settling back in satisfaction, tucking her prize into the hair behind her ear, the orange standing out in stark contrast to the silky blue green that was her long tresses.

"If we are quite finished fooling around this Sesshomaru would like to get down to business," he looked pointedly at all present and receiving no objections turned their conversation to the matter at hand.

"For those of you that were busy or otherwise occupied," be pointedly looked at Yoko who winked and fiddled with the end of her prized feather, "you might not have heard that there is a rather powerful holy group that has assembled." His face never changed, but the little miko by his side could almost feel the self directed irritation he was feeling about what he was to say next and she laid a hand reassuringly on his leg. "Unfortunately this Sesshomaru greatly underestimated both their intentions and their strength, resulting in extreme injuries to my person," he paused. "However, this means that this Sesshomaru has also seen some of their battle tactics and what they are capable of." The whole room leaned forward, listening intently. Kagome knew what it took for the Great Lord Sesshomaru to admit that he was defeated and had made a mistake and she squeezed his leg again before returning her hands to her lap.

Over the next few hours the lords discussed the limits of power that Sesshomaru had witnessed as well as possible weaknesses and battle tactics.

"But Sesshomaru-sama," Toshi interjected, "houshi's and miko's have never really been known to form groups with one another. They have tendencies to help one another out because of their association and holy powers, but a mixed group is a rare thing," he finished and the taiyoukai stared at the claws of his steepled fingers.

"Indeed, and I believe this is part of what makes their group so powerful," all in the room gazed at the beautiful lord in confusion. "In the case of demons, male and females have separate capabilities and specialties. Monks and priestesses are no different. Though they may draw upon similar powers, and some may even have the same Kami's, their usage and strengths are incredibly different. The groups usually have separate goals and are divided by their differences, if they pooled their collective holiness into one objective…"

"Good Kami… they could become a holy army," Takehiko said quietly and Kagome tensed, vague history lessons beginning to surface, nagging at the back of her mind.

"An army…" Yoko murmured. "Wait, Sesshomaru, didn't you mention that some of the ones present while you were there wielded swords instead of staves?" she asked, her tapered fingers worrying the tip of her feather.

"Not some of them…all of them," Sesshomaru responded more coldly than he had intended, "even the priestesses had them, but they seemed to use them more as a conduit for power than a weapon. All the blades seemed to be enchanted in some manner and had runes unrecognizable to this Sesshomaru adorning the blades."

"Do you think you could remember their shape well enough to sketch them for me," Kagome asked suddenly, speaking for the first time and surprising everyone, "perhaps I could take them and compare them to holy runes used by monks and priestesses I've met on my travels," she reasoned and her taiyoukai nodded his silver head, his eyes dancing with something she couldn't quite pinpoint before he turned back to the room.

"This is a powerful group which uses their powers in conjunction with one another instead of relying solely on their own," Sesshomaru stated, his voice betraying his serious mood. "They have no intentions of talking and consider a demon's death to be a gift or a victory. Though as of now we are not sure of their complete intentions, we do know that they mean ill toward all demon-kind. Measures need to be taken and preparations need to be made. This needs to be treated as if they are starting a war. By attacking a taiyoukai, they have essentially already declared war. Tactics need to be created to deal with powers that are the polar opposite of our own," his eyes were piercing with an inner golden fire.

"My fellow lords… prepare your armies…"

The darkness of the hallway was only broken by the dancing orange and red light that burst free from the partially open screen up ahead. The little miko approached quietly though any sound of her approach was covered by the sound of the fire and the tink and clang of metal against metal. Sliding the door open with a kind of reverence for the work being done within her eyes took in the sight of the bent and wizened figure silhouetted by the flames from the forge as he heated the metal, occasionally blowing his own fiery breath aided by his jug of fluid on the metal he was molding.

Quietly, so as not to disturb her, she knelt down next to the only other person in the room, smiling as the neko demon turned to glance up at her mistress.

"I am sorry, Kagome-san…I have been shirking my duties…" she said quietly before beginning to rise, but the younger woman's hand on her sleeve brought her back to sitting again.

"No, my friend, you belong here," the priestess replied with a reassuring smile. For many long moments the two women watched as the demon worked, the occasional chant or mutter reaching their ears above the din of the fire and metal, the air in the room filled with demon power that washed over them and caressed them with its artistic sense.

"All will be set to rights soon," she assured her friend, squeezing her hand before rising and leaving the room as if she had never been there, the neko watching intently over the progress of her fate.

Soft footfalls were all that signaled the passing of the miko as she made her way down the silent halls of her new home, but that was more than he needed. Her very presence and scent were more than enough for him, though he was sure without them he could still find her…she could never hide from him.

One moment she was walking tiredly down the hallway, silently railing at the Kami's for allowing such complicated garments to be made for women to wear in the feudal era…t-shirts and jeans were so much easier and were even comfortable to fall asleep in if one was even too lazy to remove them… oh yes, she was walking down the hallway when suddenly she was enveloped in white silk and fur, an intense feeling of disorientation coming over her before she realized it was because she was no longer vertical but horizontal and was being moved somewhere incredibly quickly.

Finally the world stopped moving and she found she could see due to the pale light of the moon, however there was no one to see. As quickly as the presence was there it was gone, leaving her to grasp wildly for the railing of the bridge in the gardens she now found herself standing on.

_Stupid youkai and their stupid speed and equilibrium…_ "Alright, Sesshomaru," she huffed and placed her hands on her hips taking on her best 'mother scolding a bad child' look, "I know it was you because you can't completely hide your youki from me anymore… so just come out here." After a few moments of silence and nothing she huffed again and crossed her arms over her chest, beginning to get annoyed. Just what was he doing?

A slight breeze picked up and she could swear she felt the ghost of a touch running down her shoulders and tracing her figure to her hips, but when she spun around there was no one there. Looking around herself a tad nervously she clasped her kimono more tightly closed with her right hand and gripped the railing of the bridge with the other.

Warm breath on her neck and the barely audible whisper of her name against her ear nearly made her jump out of her skin, but once again upon spinning around there was no one there. Bright color on the railing caught her attention and she saw a single pink sakura blossom resting gently against the wood.

As she leaned and picked the blossom up tenderly she felt slender and strong fingers slide through her tresses from her temple to the tips, but this time she didn't turn. There was no mistaking his aura and he let it wash over her now as she stood with her back facing where she knew he was. Steel-like arms came around either side of her, one pulling her back against him and the other removing the blossom from her fingers and tucking it gently behind one ear.

"You know," his voice was so soft and gentle, like velvet and nearly made her heart melt as she let her weight press her against his warmth, "if you persist in being so perfect then I might not be able to wait…" his voice held playful warning and she couldn't help but smile. His arms came up underneath hers and he held them out in front of them both, her shorter arms resting on his and her petite hands were tiny in contrast with his well muscled arms and larger, clawed hands.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the little miko quipped back and she felt his arms tighten around her, trapping her in his embrace.

"Well then, should I show you?" his voice was husky and sent shivers of anticipation down her spine. Turning in his arms, she placed her small hands on his chest, her glazed eyes taking in his appearance from the smooth, pale and hard chest under his slightly open hakama to the silver hair spilling over one shoulder and brushing against equally pale skin, his stripes and moon standing out in beautiful contrast.

Long pale silver lashes framed his fiery golden eyes that held unmasked and unchecked love for only her, completely stealing her breath away. His hair seemed haloed by the bright light of the moon behind him and dazzled her as he leaned slowly down until his lips claimed her own and her eyes slid shut. The kiss was slow and gentle, making her heart ache for a man that she knew was capable of and had probably killed thousands without another thought.

"Sesshomaru…" she murmured against his mouth, but he didn't pull back yet, instead he gently sucked her bottom lip between his and nibbled on it with a fang, "aaah… oooh… aaah S-sess…" Kagome was having slight trouble maintaining her train of thought. "Sesshomaru… I..." finally he pulled back, but only a little, his breath caressing her still moist lips. "I'm still… a little uncertain…" a look crossed his eyes and she quickly elaborated, "not about you… but about… the whole… demon… marriage thing…" His eyes bore into her and she continued. "I just… um… I mean… Yoko's told me some… but she doesn't know about…. human and… youkai pairings…" she knew she sounded really lame. "Um… I just… I mean… will anything … you know… happen to me?" Sesshomaru wanted to laugh. His miko really was adorable; she was so timid and yet contained a strength that could rival a dragon.

"Then I'm sure our dear friend Yoko told you that youkai pairings require an exchange of blood," the raven head nodded slowly, "and that in the case of strong pairings there is sometimes an exchange of power," she nodded again. "That really is all. You probably won't go through any physical changes," he paused, a slight frown creasing his mouth, "though I am not entirely sure about the exchange of powers…" his pause made her nervous."We happen to be possessed of opposite powers; however they seem to have found a way to co-exist. Perhaps because you are human there will not be an exchange and we will not have to worry. If there is, I am confident that we are strong enough to overcome any squabbling our auras might have…" a small smile snuck its way onto his face and she pushed him playfully.

"They're not like children you know! You can't just tell them to sit in the corner if they misbehave!" she insisted and he smiled.

"That doesn't work with demons anyway," Kagome narrowed her eyes at him and he kissed her forehead. "Sleep and consider, my little one, we will speak another time," he took her arm and began leading her back to the palace at a strolling pace.

"Why do you insist on calling me 'little one' and 'little miko,'" she asked curiously, "not that I'm offended, but they seem to be nicknames I'm stuck with," she smiled up at him and he glanced down at her.

"I call you by those because it should not be possible for so much power to exist in such a small body," he responded, his eyes taking in her slight form, "and I have the overwhelming desire to protect this small person, despite all her power."


	34. Chapter 34

My dearest readers, I'm back:) I sincerely apologize for the length of time since my last update... life's been confusing and hard lately. My husband and I ended up getting a divorce and it was a long agonizing process that unfortunately isn't quite over yet, but things are looking up for me and I'm not as depressed and down as I was before. I want to thank you all for your amazing reviews and uplifting words. You have no idea how amazing it was to check my messages and see how much you all care. THANK YOU!

Please be gentle... it's been a while since I've written, but DEFINITELY give reviews! I need feedback if I'm to keep the story up to the same level I had before. Let me know if you see anything lacking or any discrepancies. Thanks again for all your support!

Chapter 34

BOOM! "YEOOOOOOOOOW!"

A massive tremor shook the palace as the deafening explosion rocked everyone on their feet and knocked various loose decorations from their intended resting place, a few crashing as they met the hard wood floor. Kagome's head snapped up from her discussion with the head servant temporarily replacing Akiko before bolting off in the direction of the disturbance.

The little miko was met in the hallway with other worried staff rushing in the same direction: Totosai's make-shift forge. Smoke billowed along the ceiling in thick black clouds as she hurried through the halls following the flow as it thickened. Finally she rounded the corner and sighed at what she saw.

The screen door was completely shattered, bits and pieces hung pathetically from the door frame, the paper scraps still clinging desperately to the wood fluttered in the heavy smoke laden breeze still exhaling from the room.

Massive amounts of coughing and sputtering heralded the eventual exit of Totosai and Akiko. The pair literally crawled out of the black wall of smoke covered from head to toe in thick flat black soot. Not a feature or spot of color was visible until they finally cracked their eyes, the stark white standing out vividly in contrast to their utterly black faces, the rings of color in their iris's looking oddly out of place.

The sword smith collapsed on his back on the floor wheezing, his bulging eyes looking like golf balls glued onto a black mannequin. Totosai blinked his eyes a few times before taking a deep breath and shutting them, in relief and stilling his breathing slightly. Upon opening his eyes, his newly regulated breath froze in his throat at the sight of a very irritated and deadly demon lord looking down his nose from his stance directly above him.

"Yeee!" he screeched scuttling across the floor leaving a black streak and clouds of soot across the gleaming wood to hide behind Kagome's legs who in turn grabbed her robes frantically and pulled them up in a manner that showed her legs indecently to keep them out of the dirty demon's way.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru's cold voice rang out and Totosai 'eeped' and cowered further behind the priestess. Kagome scrunched her nose and moved forward a step, watching the demon like a hawk in case the dirty demon tried to grab her skirt or leg in his flight from the taiyoukai. The sword smith stuttered and curled into a ball before finally spitting a response out.

"T-the metals become volatile during the process of preparing them for soul transferal!" he squeaked. "I-it's easy for a similar reaction to occur if conditions aren't entirely perfect and these aren't my normal tools! Unfortunately, it's not something I can entirely predict, the sword undergoes dramatic changes to the metal slightly before and during the transferal…" he said scratching his head and letting his eyes glaze over slightly in his consideration of the problem, his body language slightly relaxing showing his feeling of security behind the priestess.

Suddenly silver and gold filled his vision and he tensed so hard he thought he would faint.

"Do not let it happen again." With that the lord was gone leaving an irritated Kagome pinching the bridge of her nose with an oncoming headache and an unconscious Totosai behind her. Akiko just sat off to the side staring into the distance looking dazed as the servants began cleaning up the mess of soot and soji screen pieces.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she went off in search of her mean fiancé; she really needed to give him lessons on the subject of being nice to one's underlings. The little priestess quickly lost track of him in the winding halls of the palace before realizing she hadn't been entirely sure where he had been heading.

Stopping briefly she concentrated and sent out her aura to see if she could feel him or learn at least in which direction he had gone so she could catch up. As she stood concentrating with her eyes lightly closed she felt silk clad arms snake around her waist and pull her back against a hard chest.

"Honestly, you'd think a student of mine would at least be able to feel me coming. Looks like more training is in order for you, little one." Kagome leaned her head back against his shoulder and pouted up at him, her cerulean eyes glittering with mischief, convinced she could find ways to worm out of any evil training he had in mind for her. With a chuckle he leaned down and their eyes slid closed…

"Ahem, f-forgive the intrusion, milord, but there's a group at the gates dressed in holy robes insisting on speaking to the priestess 'imprisoned' within the palace," the servant said with a low bow. Sesshomaru's golden eyes snapped open and Kagome caught the brief worried gleam in their depths before it was schooled to blankness. He simply nodded, looking bored and the servant scuttled away.

"It sounds as if they wish to rescue you from my evil clutches," he glanced down at her boredly but Kagome caught the brief teasing gleam and snickered, "tell me, Priestess, do you wish to be rescued?" he asked, raising a hand to brush against her cheek softly.

The young woman turned in his arms and boldly lifted her hands to his shoulders and ran them down his chest and abs feeling the steel muscles beneath the silk of his white hakama and reveling in the feeling of him tense under his self-control before slipping her arms around his waist and leaning against him, her eyes drifting up the path her hands had taken, past his collarbones and up his lean neck to eventually rest on his porcelain features.

"Being your captive isn't so bad…" one silver eyebrow arched up indignantly before she continued, "there seem to be enough benefits to outweigh any qualms I might have," she finished smiling up at him coyly.

"Oh, little one," he said lifting his hand to the back of her head to tangle his fingers there and trap her only inches from his own face, "you have not seen _half_ of the _benefits_ in store for you…" he said, his voice dropping to a deep rumble and making an adorable blush rise up in her cheeks. "However, my dear, since you are sure, we should not keep our guests waiting," he said mischievously before straightening back up and looking down at her with an _I got you this time _look in his eyes. Kagome glared up at him and he gave her a cocky smile before leading her in the direction of the courtyard.


	35. Chapter 35

Author's note –

My apologies to everyone for the tardiness of this chapter. I attempted to make it longer to help hold some of you over. : ) Unfortunately, the little work I had done on it before came to a screeching halt recently when I received news that a very old and very good friend of mine was killed in Iraq recently. He was someone I knew in college and had been of overwhelming support to me in my endeavors and through quite a bit of pain, being a kindred spirit. My only regret is that I had lost contact with him for so long, for which I will be eternally sorry. So I will say this, even if it is just a small email, keep in contact with those you love, because you never know when they will be gone and you will be left with the emptiness of regret.

SGT Adam Kennedy, rest in peace my friend, you will be sorely missed. Bravo Rules The Hill.

Chapter 35

Kagome squinted her eyes against the bright golden sunlight as Sesshomaru led her by the hand through the door to the courtyard. As her eyes adjusted, the dark shapes of the courtyard walls became clearer and she could see the nearby guards bowing in deference to their presence while others scurried around the walls and gates, preparing to open them for the odd entourage that awaited outside. A thought struck the little miko and she placed a hand on the demon lord's forearm and watched as the golden eyes slowly slid in her direction and his head turned to give her his full attention.

"Sesshomaru, what if they're the same priests who attacked you?" she asked, biting her lip and gazing up at him with blue pools of worry. A clawed thumb smoothed out her abused lip before brushing her jaw gently and falling back to his side.

"This Sesshomaru has no doubt that it is the very same priests. They wish to add insult to injury by approaching my own home and demanding you be released. Hopefully, they will be more inclined to listen to reason while standing on enemy territory, but that is still to be seen," his eyes glimmered with something that she didn't quite catch before he turned away and faced forward. The small woman swallowed hard and faced forward herself, slowing her breathing and steeling herself for the encounter ahead. She wasn't entirely sure she could forgive them for what they did to the demon lord, but she knew that if things weren't dealt with diplomatically, then things could very possibly get drastically worse. These weren't traveling monks they were dealing with. From the intensity of some of the wounds Sesshomaru returned with, these holy people were powerful beings who were very much in tune with their holy powers and those powers destructive properties.

At Sesshomaru's nod the gates were unlocked and slowly began to slide open. The gates parted filling the silent afternoon air with the sounds of creaking and groaning wood. At first Kagome couldn't see anyone beyond, but as the gates parted further she caught sight of white and red robes of a handful of individuals. When the gates were finally open, a single priestess walked forward into the courtyard flanked by four priests. All wore the traditional robes fitting their stations with one exception; none of them carried staves nor bow and arrow. Every priest present had a fairly ornately decorated sword strapped onto their left hip and the priestess wasn't an exception, though hers was shaped slightly differently with different runes along the hilt. They strode forward in a formation, the priestess leading, two priests on either side, one step behind and two more a few steps behind them making a square with her slightly in front.

The priestess herself was nothing remarkable in appearance, clean black hair was pulled back into the traditional ponytail, her robes were pristine and clean, no tears nor signs of dirt or wear from travel. Her chin was held high and her shoulders squared as she marched into the courtyard, pointedly ignoring every demon present, her eyes trained unwaveringly on Kagome making the poor girl want to squirm, though she resisted the urge, meeting the woman's chocolate gaze with her own cerulean gaze.

Their odd march stopped quite a distance back, not quite in the middle of the courtyard, still quite a bit out of range of any guards as well as the ruling demon and the woman at his side. Silence reigned for quite a few moments while each group sized the other up. The priestess's eyes never left Kagome, but her entourage made sure to take note of every being in the area, including the lord himself which didn't make the lord in question all too happy. The aura radiating off the five holy beings made the guards edgy, out of her peripheral vision Kagome could see them tightening their grips on their polearms or settling nervous hands on the hilts of their swords. To the right she saw Daichi circle around and lean casually on one of the wall supports near the gate while Sho circled to the left, nonchalantly cleaning a dagger before throwing her a grin and winking. Feeling a little better, she lifted her chin a little and stared at the priestess, daring the woman to break the silence. She didn't have long to wait.

"Great priestess," the woman began with a small bow, "I am the priestess Yui of the Holy Chosen (if someone can give me a Japanese translation of that, I'd greatly appreciate it), who have been charged by the Kamis with a holy mission. Tales of your virtuous deeds are well known to me and my brethren and we have traveled here into the land of this powerful enemy because of your plight. Never fear priestess, we are here to see to your safe release and to make sure that you are free once more to continue the holy works…" the woman trailed off at the sight of Kagome shaking her head with a soft smile.

"You have my great thanks," the little miko said with a respectful bow, "however I am no prisoner here. This is my home." The monks blanched slightly, looking from one to the other in confusion and the priestess showed slight surprise playing across her features.

"But my lady," she said in an entreating voice, "surely you cannot be serious! No holy being could co-exist in the same atmosphere as such an evil presence as him," she said gesturing disdainfully to the demon at Kagome's side. "He is known for his ruthlessness and wicked deeds. The list of his murders is miles long and he shows no mercy to those he believes are beneath him," the priestess said with finality, though the subject of her tirade was standing before her as still as a beautiful porcelain statue, only the piercing cold of his gold eyes betraying his fury at being addressed so. Kagome shook her head again.

"No, I think it is you who cannot be serious. How can you as holy people be so blind and judgmental? Just because a being is a demon does not mean they are evil." _Talk about racism,_ she thought. "You obviously know nothing of the demon lord you keep referring to in such bad terms. True, he is the leader of a land of demons, but his rule also protects quite a few human colonies. All of his unspeakable acts you keep bringing up but failing to name can all be chocked up to rumors that would obviously fly around about a taiyoukai. He has led armies into battle, and therefore, of course he has killed, but the same could be said of all of you. You have all killed demons, but you don't see those present here ridiculing you and hating you because you've killed their kind. He has killed just as many demons, perhaps more, than he has killed humans. In fact, only a short while ago, he defended his kingdom, including the ningens within, from the tyrannical rule of a demon lord who insisted on wresting his rule out from under him."

"Priestess, these are not only demons, but powerful and influential demons who kill without a second thought," Kagome felt like rolling her eyes, _I don't think she heard a word I said…_ "They have obviously brainwashed you or have fed you lies that are too much for a pure heart," the little priestess sweat dropped.

"They have done nothing of the sort. In case you have forgotten, all my 'great deeds' that you brought up were done with the help of a hanyou, who happens to be this lord's deceased half-brother, and an orphaned fox demon. Just like humans, there are good and evil ones and the job of holy men and women is to figure out which are which, to take care of those in times of distress and assist when someone is in trouble." Priestess Yui watched her through her monologue and narrowed her eyes at the mention of InuYasha and the group she traveled with.

"By the way, great priestess, the Holy Chosen was wondering, if it's not too bold, how you continue to resist the onslaught of age. The demons you just spoke of fighting with and the evil hanyou you reportedly slain died well over twenty years ago. The tales spoke of a young woman who accomplished these deeds, though you stand before us as a young woman. The math in the tales does not add up, you should be in your late thirties or early forties. No holy spell we have heard of can accomplish this, will you please share your knowledge?" In her peripheral vision Kagome caught Sho and Daichi exchange confused glances and inwardly tensed. Barely audible whispers began to fly around the courtyard. It had been widely spread that Kagome's age had ceased because of her holy powers, now because of this meddling priestess that was blown out of the water. A lump stuck in her throat as her mind raced to come up with a viable solution, though none sprang to mind. How was she to get out of this one?

"I'm sorry, Yui-sama, that's not something I can discuss with you at this time," she said in her most polite tone and feigned what she hoped was an appropriately apologetic look. Something seemed to dawn behind the priestess's chocolate eyes and they narrowed in suspicion before turning sly. Kagome's stomach lurched at the look she saw in those sienna depths before they were dropped in a mocking bow of deference to her.

"Gomen, _priestess_," she began mockingly, "we have no choice then other than to assume that you have sided with evil and are therefore no longer a holy priestess." She straightened and held out her hand to Kagome, forming a holy rune with her fingers. "By the powers vested in me by the holy order I hence forth denounce you of your powers and your standing as a priestess. You are no longer considered a sister and kindred spirit, you have been made equal to the scum you defend and will therefore be hunted to the ends of the earth and eradicated with the rest of the demon filth, oh user of dark magics!" she cried in a hate filled voice.

Kagome was struck dumb at the declaration that was just made and stared on in horror as things began to move all around her. The four monks had moved forward and surrounded the priestess, their swords brought to bear before them, each facing outward from their corner. Guards all along the wall leapt into action at Daichi's tersely shouted command as clipped chants filled the air. The first guards to reach the square of monks were instantly purified and a shimmering barrier of purple and blue became visible. The monks held their swords before them like a staff; their other hands held in the form of their holy symbol before their faces, chanting loudly and holding what Kagome realized was an impressive barrier all around Yui while she knelt down and began to chant herself. Sesshomaru had moved protectively in front of Kagome when the movement had started and now held his ground, waiting to see what the holy beings before him were attempting to do.

Last minute Kagome recognized the chant of the woman before her and flung herself at Sesshomaru, wrapping her small arms around his waist and throwing up a barrier of her own, shouting a warning to all around to get out of the way fast.

Guards scrambled as the chant completed and the priestess threw out her hands at her target, massive blades of bright yellow light shooting out at them, tearing, cutting and purifying everything they came in contact with. The blades struck Kagome's barrier with a resounding crack and a bright flash of yellow and pink light. Sesshomaru braced his feet against the torrent which sizzled out as quickly as it started with an odd pop sound. The force of the powers colliding and neutralizing one another threw Kagome backwards, despite holding onto Sesshomaru and she landed on her rump behind him, her head spinning and stars swirling through her vision.

When her head finally cleared she saw the priestess across the way in a similar state of shock, having fallen forward on her hands and knees, her eyes like saucers in her head as she regarded the priestess she'd just denounced. Both of them had fallen under the sudden lack of power beneath their spells, the holy powers having completely neutralized one another, leaving nothing left behind but a very uncomfortable holy aura, uncomfortable for the demons that is.

Obviously Yui had not expected her own holy powers to be met with holy of equal power. Demon powers and dark magic are the opposite of holy and therefore create a titanic struggle when they meet. On the other hand, holy powers are like throwing water on water, it doesn't do anything other than neutralize what the other had cast, unless they were working in sync. However, Kagome surmised, judging from the state they both were in, it drains a lot out of the priestess when something like this happens. It's like having the table pulled out from under you when you're leaning on it. The power supporting you, having pulled it forth is suddenly gone and you fall flat on your face, or rear as the case may be. The priestess rose to her feet shakily and pointed a finger at Kagome.

"This is far from over, I will discover what corrupted means you use to maintain your power and I will personally bring you to justice!" the little miko's heart cried out in sadness at that declaration, "Prepare yourselves, filth! Your time will be sooner than you think!" Sesshomaru stepped forward and stared icily at the woman.

"Get off this Sesshomaru's grounds before this Sesshomaru removes your presence from this world completely," he growled out, his voice icy steel. The group backed out the gates, dropping their shield with their movement, keeping their guard trained on the demons surrounding them until they were out of sight.

Sesshomaru glanced around and took in the damage. A trail of broken dirt and rock led up to where he and Kagome had been standing and behind them the steps of the palace had taken some substantial damage and would need to be repaired immediately. A few guards were dead and others would need medical attention. Finally his attention turned to the woman who was still sitting behind him on the ground, one small hand was placed over her heart as if something hurt and she stared with wide eyes still trained on where the group had been standing a few minutes ago. In his mind, he knew the power of that attack and if it hadn't been for her quick and selfless thinking, he would have been badly if not fatally injured. Her eyes finally snapped up to his when he held his clawed hand out to her.

The little miko's mind was a whirl of all sorts of confusing thoughts. What stood out the most to her was the denouncement of her standing as a priestess. What did that mean? Did that mean she should no longer use her holy powers? Does that mean she even could? Would there be repercussions if she did? Then there was her statement of demon extermination. They really did plan on destroying every demon, down to the last woman and child. What did this mean for demons in the future? Is this why there are none in her time? Is this what happens to all of them? Is this why all evidence of demons is gone? Do they destroy everything? Down to the very last monument and book?

Her eyes refocused as Sesshomaru reached down, gently lifted her and placed her on her feet, keeping a steadying arm around her waist. His eyes held concern for her that only she could see and she smiled up at him weakly.

"I'm alright, Sesshomaru-sama, just a little shaken is all," she said quietly and he gave her a barely perceptible nod before leading her inside. The darkness and cool air of the indoors was welcoming to Kagome and she smiled weakly as Akiko/Fubuki rushed up and apologized over and over again for not being there for her lady. Sesshomaru left his miko with her over-protective servant/sword as the little woman was waving off her declarations of her horrible servanthood and headed down the hall to his office.

There was much to be done.

Seating himself behind his desk he pulled several pieces of paper out, holding his sleeve out of the way delicately, and began to pen missives and letters to his subjects and more lengthy ones for his fellow lords. The missives being sent to his commanders were simply outlining the current situation at hand and included orders to avoid all contact with such holy people. If contact was made they were to retreat immediately and inform the taiyoukai himself and if combat was forced they were to retreat to the safety of the palace.

The letters to the lords and lady outlined in detail the conversation that took place in the palace courtyard along with all the threats and announcements of extermination as well as a description of the attack and Kagome's counter. He urged the lords to cut the formalities and come to an agreement over Matsu as new lord of the southern lands and that preparations needed to be sped up. The power of this holy order was unlike anything they had witnessed or fought against before and if they were to survive, things would need to be done quickly.

Calling in a servant, the missives and letters were sealed and sent out. Sesshomaru sat back on his cushion and mulled over what had happened that day, his golden eyes falling unseeingly on the darkening sky outside. He had missed dinner with Kagome. Writing the letters had taken longer than he had anticipated. Leaning forward, he thought to go look for his small miko as he stood, extending his aura. Sensing her to be in the gardens he crossed to the window and looked out. Kagome was sitting quite a distance away on a bench deeper in the gardens with her back to him, Akiko stood nearby… well more hopped from foot to foot obviously in distress, most likely from something the miko had said, though he was too far away to hear their conversation. However, he detected in her aura waves of confusion and sadness drifting up to him, which was unusual for her, so he decided to investigate.

"Oh, Kagome-san! You shouldn't say such things! You know that's not true at all!"

"Kagome! I won't have you thinking this way," Fubuki's voice suddenly interjected from in Akiko's body. "It's nonsense and you know that!"

"For once, I agree with the idiot!" Akiko's voice was back. "It's not healthy!"

"What is not?" Sesshomaru suddenly materialized behind Kagome as he stepped from behind some bushes and came into sight of the two… er, three.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Akiko exclaimed dropping a low bow, "gomen, I did not see you there," Sesshomaru waved her off.

"Leave us for now, she will call for you later," he said crossing in front of the miko. Akiko bowed low, cast one last worried glace as Kagome before scurrying off and disappearing. Kagome didn't look up from staring at the surface of the pond before her.

"Look at me." Kagome's eyes slowly rose from the pond until they finally met his own as he loomed above her. "What were they speaking of?" Kagome dropped her eyes. "No! Look at me." Finally her eyes came back up and she fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

"It's nothing really… I just… I just can't get… what that priestess said out of my head…" she finished lamely, her eyes entreating him to just let her brood, an entreaty that didn't go unnoticed, but was staunchly ignored.

"What about it?" he questioned and for once Kagome wished that he would just leave her alone. Sesshomaru could feel the discomfort in her aura but pressed on anyways. He knew that leaving something like what bothered her un-dealt with would just be letting it eat at her. The little woman huffed and looked away. "I said, look at me! I will not repeat myself!" he said, his voice dropping to a tone that dared her disobey him. Her eyes shot back up to him, but were filled with anger and hurt this time.

"What does it matter? So what if I'm a little depressed! Do you need to know the reason behind everything?" she snapped and was surprised when she suddenly found him on one knee before her, his face up close to hers and one hand on hers while the other grazed one cheek.

"It matters," he said, just barely above a whisper, "because I wish to know what is bothering you enough to feel it through your aura and hear it in every word." Kagome's heart thumped faster in her chest at his proximity and she felt her resolve melt. A silent tear slipped down her cheek.

"I… she… she denounced my powers," a little hiccup, "she said I'm not a priestess anymore… if I'm not a priestess, then what am I…?" she asked quietly. "What does that mean for my powers…? Can I not use them anymore?" she choked out, a few more tears falling. Clawed fingers gently brushed them away.

"Who made you a priestess?" he asked quietly. Kagome started and stared at him and he stared back coolly, his eyes fathomless pools of golden confidence. Confidence for her.

"Well… I guess Kaede did…" Sesshomaru was already shaking his silver head, the strands floating around him in ethereal beauty, each catching the light of the rising moon and kissing them in silvery blue hues.

"No, not 'who taught you,' did anyone ever say 'today I name you a priestess'?" he asked curiously, tilting his head slightly, a knowing gleam entering his eyes as he regarded her in her confusion.

"Well… no I guess not… but" Sesshomaru placed a finger over her lips before she could continue.

"No one can take away what you earned for yourself just because they name themself your equal," Kagome's eyes stared into his, the large cerulean pools showing dawning comprehension. "Just because Takehiko is a demon of great power does not mean that he has the right to tell me I am not a demon anymore. I am what I am, and you are what you are. Their misguided logic and morals demand they conquer completely those that do not think in similar paths as they do. You are a true priestess in the sense that you do not allow the way someone looks or what people say about them get in your way. You help everyone, no matter their race or status. Your very soul, little miko, is what gives you your power. Do they plan on taking your very soul away? They cannot." Kagome's eyes were overflowing with tears now and she threw her arms around her demon, nestling her head in the crook of his neck and sobbing. Sesshomaru pulled her close and settled her on his knee while she cried.

When the sobs slowed and she began to regain control of herself more questions began to arise in her mind.

"But what does this mean? Does this mean that though we both are blessed with holy powers that we are against each other? They want me dead just like all the demons, what will happen?" Sesshomaru pulled her back and brushed her moist cheeks.

"I really am not sure. I have sent letters to the other lords telling of what has transpired here. A meeting will have to occur to cement Matsu as new lord of the south as well as discuss what's to be done." Kagome nodded ruefully as she rolled things over in her mind.

"The runes on their swords…" Sesshomaru looked at her intently as she mentally formed the words, "they are runes of amplification… at least some of them. They are ones that are similar to those on some sutras to amplify the effect of a spell or a chant, allowing it to be applied to large objects like buildings. Some of the others I didn't recognize, but there were definitely wards against the aura of demons on there, as well as purifying and exorcism runes. They are definitely very serious about hunting demons. The weapons could hardly be used for anything other than demon hunting." Sesshomaru's grip tightened slightly around Kagome and she glanced up at him.

"You say 'amplifying' runes, how much do they amplify the effects?" he asked and Kagome mulled it over in her mind for a moment.

"I would say, judging from their shield and the attack she put forth, it at least doubles the energy output," Sesshomaru resisted the urge to get angry at her for placing herself in danger then when she shielded him.

"Explain to me exactly what happened when the attack hit your shield?" he asked and she blushed slightly.

"Well, I've never fought another holy person before, or rather had them attack me like that. I didn't know what was going to happen, but from the reaction of my shield and her attack, they canceled one another out. Instead of assaulting the shield until it collapsed it completely dissolved it, and it in turn dissolved the attack," she finished.

"And the end result for the casters?" he asked quirking one elegant eyebrow at her.

"Well, it's almost an outpouring of power. Holy powers have to be pulled forth and then leaned upon. When they disappear out from under someone like that, you have to actually consciously stop the flow of power and it's rather exhausting. It's like falling into a pool after leaning on something and having it not there anymore. It almost drowns you, which was why I was so disoriented," she looked up at him and winced at the smoldering look on his face. "Look, you know I didn't know that was gonna happen…" Sesshomaru calmed slightly.

"And it will not happen again either," he said with finality and her head snapped up.

"Hey! Wait…!" she began but he smoothly cut her off.

"No, and that is final. I will not have you risking yourself like that when that is what I have troops for," Kagome's head dropped. "But enough of that, I hear your servant approaching." The little miko stared at him in confusion before Akiko came into sight and fell onto her knees in a deep, face down bow.

"Gomen, Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-sama for the interruption," she said from her position prostrate on the grass.

"It's alright, Akiko," Kagome began cheerfully.

"What is it," Sesshomaru said coldly and Kagome glared at the demon.

"Totosai-san said to fetch you both, he said he's made a break through," Akiko looked up with excitement and hope showing brightly through her maroon eyes. Kagome jumped up excitedly and dragged Sesshomaru to his feet before clapping and hopping from foot to foot excitedly.

"Oh that's wonderful!" she exclaimed before a large hand was placed on her head holding her still.

"Be still, you bothersome woman," he said curtly, "it is probably nothing, as is usual from him," he said disdainfully and Kagome glared up at him from under his hand, her hands on her hips and gave him her best 'you've been bad' glare.

"None of that, you big oaf!" she said shaking a finger at him and making Akiko go pale before swallowing her giggles. "Totosai deserves more credit than you give him! He fixed Tetusaiga just fine when it broke! Who says he can't fix Fubuki just as good as new?" she said before crossing her arms over her bosom and glared up at him, still underneath his hand.

Gripping her head, he turned her around so she was facing away from him before releasing her head with a small push and slapping her bottom, earning an 'eep' and swallowing his own mirth when she whirled around, gripping her offended bottom with both hands and glaring at him.

"Well, let us get a move on then, we do not wish to miss one single thing, now do we?" he asked, deadpan, but Kagome caught the glint of mirth deep in his amber orbs.

"Oh! You!" she stomped one little foot before turning and dragging Akiko by the arm from the gardens with a stoic youkai in tow.

Totosai turned when the shoji screen slid open and she immediately felt sorry for the poor sword smith. He looked haggard and exhausted from working night and day to find a solution for the broken sword, but she could see the excitement gleaming deep in those oddly bulging eyes.

"I think I may have finally finished my work and am ready to attempt to reattach the sword spirit to the sword," he gestured to the blade lying on a blanket not far away, it was still broken, but the metal looked slightly re-forged and shaped. The smith pulled a few more instruments as well as some incense and some other pieces for the ritual. Setting candles out all around the blanket, he asked if Akiko was ready. Akiko glanced at Kagome and the little miko smiled at her encouragingly before she turned to the smith and nodded. Kagome and Sesshomaru sat down on the opposite side of the room to bear witness and be there if something happened to help.

Totosai gestured to the blanket and Akiko lay down, her head even with the hilt of the sword with the broken blade lying alongside her. The sword smith mixed a few things in a bowl, the whole time making mumbling sounds that almost sounded like chants. After a few moments he lifted the bowl to her lips and instructed her to take a mouthful and hold it. Akiko did as she was told, her cheeks bulging with liquid and her nose scrunching slightly at the taste.

Totosai then took a flat iron for pounding metal on and slid it under the broken part of the blade, still muttering. Each piece was then picked up and placed, broken end first into a blazing hot fire until the tip glowed. Still muttering weirdly, Totosai then placed the pieces together and began to pound them with a hammer. Moments passed in which the air was filled with ringing and sparking metal. Satisfied, he put down the hammer and picked up a bowl of water and sprinkled it on, his chant getting a little louder as the metal sizzled and sparked, the newly joint metal glowing bright red in the dim light of the room. A terse order from him had Akiko swallowing the liquid. A few moments later she curled up slightly around her stomach as a wave of nausea and pain washed over her. A hand on Kagome's leg was the only thing that kept her from getting up and rushing to her friend's side, so she watched on in sad silence as her demon friend writhed slightly on the blanket. Very suddenly her form sifted, her face elongated and grew stripes, her limbs became long and limber and sprouted long claws, fangs poked from her upper lip and she transformed completely to her tiger form. Springing on her suddenly, Totosai grabbed a pair of pliers and gripped one of her fangs. The elixir she had swallowed must have dulled pain because she simply lay there dazed as he extracted one large fang and placed it gently, blood and all over the still glowing break in the sword.

Continuing his mumblings, he began to shape and pound the fang into the sword, placing it over the flames occasionally to get it hot before returning it to his anvil and pounding it some more. The water in the bowl was poured over it occasionally during this process, and from the aura, Kagome surmised it to be holy water. The sword was pounded and shaped and pounded more, run over a grinding wheel, pounded some more, heated more. Akiko lay in kind of a trance state, still in cat form, her paws hanging limply in the air while he worked.

Finally, the sword smith appeared to be satisfied with his level of work and placed the sword down on the anvil once more. Picking up a different hammer than he had been using before, he began to sing something in an ancient language that Kagome didn't understand. Akiko's body flinched before going stiff. Her paws outstretched, the claws brought fully to bear, every sinew in her body pushing up toward the ceiling as if pushing against some unseen force. Totosai began to pound on the break in the sword while he sang; though it appeared to her, he wasn't actually doing anything to the sword, other than touching it and raising the hammer again.

Suddenly, the room began to lighten slightly with a pure white light. Very slowly, a white, filmy essence began to rise from Akiko's body, having no real form other than a whispy whiteness. Achingly slowly it seemed to extract itself from Akiko's essence to float bodiless above her. As Totosai continued to sing and pound, the essence descended just as slowly toward the smith and the sword. Kagome watched in awe as what she realized was Fubuki's immortal soul lowered to hover slightly above the blade, almost consciously taking a similar shape to the object below it. With a final pound and pouring of holy water, the spirit disappeared into the sword through where the break had been. Kagome held her breath as the sword smith began grinding and buffing the sword, bringing back the beautiful, unearthly sheen the blade had once held.

With what almost sounded like a sigh, Akiko's form seemed to melt until the woman lay there once more and Kagome leapt up and knelt by her friend's side. A trickle of blood oozed from the side of Akiko's mouth and Kagome wiped it gently with the sleeve of her kimono before lifting her lip tenderly to peek in at the hole in her teeth where her canine had been. Dabbing at her face lightly one last time, she looked up to see Totosai make his finishing touches on the blade, sharpening the edge to match its usual sharpness and smoothing out the blood grooves to wavy perfection. Achingly slowly he lifted the blade to the light of the forge and inspected it, testing its balance and sharpness, turning it over and over, the blood red reflections dancing eerily along the walls.

Finally his eyes slowly slid off the point of the blade to rest on the nervous miko kneeling by her friend, companion and servant. As if moving through dreamlike water, he turned the sword and held out the hilt to her, his hands holding the blade in reverence to the marksmanship both old and new.

"Now is the moment of truth," he said simply. Kagome's heard leapt into her throat and she thought she was going to suffocate as she reached her hand out slowly, still stuck in that watery dreamlike state. What if it hadn't worked? What if Fubuki returned to the sword only to die there? She would never see him again and her sword would then be like a coffin to her. There would be no way she could ever use it again.

Gulping and taking one last deep breath, her fingers finally closed over the silk-like hilt of the sword.

(MUAHAHAHA! I was going to end it there and leave you all hanging, but since I'm having so much trouble updating on a regular basis I decided that to do that was cruel and unusual. X3 So ON WITH THE STORY!)

Kagome gripped the sword as Totosai released the blade, holding it before her gingerly. Closing her eyes she breathed deeply before settling her thoughts.

…_Fubuki_ …?

…nothing…

_Fubuki? _she sent her thoughts to the sword a little more insistently.

Still nothing.

Tears began to form under her closed eyelids and her heart felt like it was in a vice, cold tendrils working their way around it, squeezing it to the point that it felt it was going to shatter. Fubuki was her brother, friend and comrade. To lose him was a much bigger blow than she thought she could bear. Tears spilled down her cheeks freely as she brought the sword toward her, gripping the hilt with both hands, settling the blade against her shoulder and holding its length against her chest. Her breath choked out of her in ragged gasps.

_FUBUKI!_ Her mind poured out all her pain, sadness and loss from her heart directly into the sword, the blade virtually humming with the force of her despair. Totosai bowed his head in sadness and defeat and Sesshomaru was suddenly beside her, his arms around her shoulders in support in case she should need it.

….

….

Slowly … something stirred.

A small warm tendril worked its way into Kagome's mind, cool yet comforting and warm feeling at the same time, pushing through the grief that had overtaken her mind. Slowly Kagome's eyes drifted open and she gazed down through watery eyes at the blade, glinting seemingly lifelessly against her shoulder.

_Fubuki…?_ She projected tentatively.

…

…

_I was sleeping so peacefully,_ an achingly familiar voice sounded in her mind, _why did you have to be soooo rude and yell at me? _The voice sounded so soft and weak, but oh Kami, it was there! It was there! It was truly there!

Kagome hiccupped weirdly as her overwhelming joy flooded through her, washing away all her despair and grief and replacing it with a thankfulness she never knew she could feel. All at once she felt like she was going to burst.

"Fubuki's alive!" she all but shouted, making those with sensitive ears around her wince. "He's alive! He survived! He's weak, but he survived!" The small woman threw her arms wide and tackled the unsuspecting taiyoukai, who caught the slight miko in a hug that he feared might actually strangle him, the sword dangling behind him, still in her tight grip. His mind reminded him not to be jealous, after all, she had almost lost her _brother_, right? Elegant hands settled at the small of her back to support her as she babbled into his shoulder and hair, something about how she thought she had lost him and that he was the only tie she had to her family left. He rubbed small, comforting circles into her back as she continued to babble.

Totosai wisely pretended not to notice as he brewed a strong tea and gently, though forcefully made the still unconscious neko drink it, first making sure it wasn't too hot so as not to burn her throat. Slowly and groggily, the servant demon began to stir, her eyes cracking a tiny bit before squeezing shut, her hand going to her woozy stomach. Kagome calmed herself enough to notice the slowly stirring neko demon and pounced on the poor slowly recovering woman, babbling so quickly it was difficult for even a sharp mind and ear to pick up her words, pouring out the whole story and reassuring the obviously worried woman that Fubuki was really ok, just really tired.

Akiko's eyes blinked in utter confusion up at the panting miko before looking from Totosai to the taiyoukai. Totosai shrugged and Sesshomaru shook his head.

"Have no fear, young servant, we did not understand a word either," Akiko looked relieved and Kagome glared up at him in annoyance. Once again he was amazed at her resilience. The infuriating woman went from hopeful, to devastated, to hopeful again, to so overjoyed that she seemed drunk all in the matter of a few heartbeats… well, his heartbeats… hers were going a mile a minute.


	36. Chapter 36

I'm sorry everyone for the long delay in updating... it has to have been like 2 years or so. O.o My life is much more stable now and although I am writing again, I cannot promise regular updates. I will get to it when I can though. So for now, enjoy and please R&R, it's been so long since I've written, I'm kinda rusty.

Chapter 36

Moonlight spilled through the open window and across the gleaming, polished paneled floor, leaving iridescent, blue kissed highlights on the room's furnishings. Tendrils of soft light teased and danced across the thick raven tresses of the woman sleeping peacefully on the futon across the room, her soft, steady breathing blending with the sounds of night drifting in with the gentle breeze, but that was enough for the tall demon standing in the doorway. He knew that if it was the only sound he heard for the rest of his ageless days that he would be a happy man. Although her voice stirred in him feelings he never knew he could feel, but for now he was content to watch her finally sleeping peacefully. The sheathed sword that housed Fubuki lay across the bed, but within reach, for once staying in sword form during the night. His soul was extraordinarily weak from the earlier exchange and would take much time to heal and completely re-bond with the metal, but he was at last whole again. Although he begrudgingly understood why the sword was _in _the bed with her, it pleased him immensely that she had chosen to lay it so far from her instead of holding it near. The lord still struggled with the idea that the miko held no romantic attachments to the sword, but he was beginning to let go of some of his jealousy and learn to trust the young woman. Golden orbs rested on the slight form of the neko demon sleeping at the side of the futon, her own breathing barely audible, though steady. The cat was also extremely weak from the exchange and though was now short a fang, she was in fairly good heath and would be back to normal much faster than Fubuki would. The taiyoukai surmised that it would be some time before the elemental was capable of utilizing the sort of power needed to materialize in his human form.

The inu rested an elegant hand on the screen and gazed over his shoulder at his intended mate once last time before sliding it closed silently and glided down the hallway. Curiously enough the taiyoukai swept right by his office as well as his personal rooms and continued down the dusky corridor, making turn after turn until he was in a section of the castle that was rarely visited. Knee length silver hair swished silently behind him, catching the occasional moonlight through an open window as he continued, his footsteps making no sound on the polished wood floors. A few more turns later he came to a stop before a certain door. Slowly and almost reverently he slid the door open and was immediately enveloped by the smell of incense, leather and ancient things. He stepped into the dark room, his perfect vision taking in his father's armor mounted to one side, his mother's carefully folded wedding dress, his own birthing clothes and dozens of other priceless family heirlooms until his eyes rested on the object of his interest. There, mounted across the room, perfectly preserved in all its glory though shrouded in shadow and set in a place of honor was his father's fang, the same that InuYasha's own had been used to fix: the Tetusaiga. It looked exactly the same as it had that fateful day Naraku had finally been defeated…at the cost of his brothers and Kagome's friends lives. A myriad of thoughts and ideas flowed through the demon's mind. InuYasha had been capable of wielding the Tetusaiga's power only when he did it in defense of a human: Kagome. Sesshomaru had never been able to use it without the aid of a human appendage because he had cared nothing for humans…then Rin and Kagome changed that. Now, like his father, he was in love with a frail and beautiful ningen. The sword no longer drew him to it with a desire for power or conquest, or even the desire to be stronger. These things had so consumed his very existence in the past that he knew not what made life worthwhile. These were the things that caused such callous words to come from him on the night of his father's death.

He didn't understand then why his father would rush to throw his life away and not leave such an important family heirloom in his greatest son's care. The young inu had known that night that his father would not be coming back, yet he'd acted like he didn't care, like his father was an imbecile for caring for a human woman. For caring for a woman at all. Now, above all else, he wished he could go back. The great lord Sesshomaru actually regretted something for once in his extensive life. He wished he could take words back. He had desired power above all else, even the wellbeing of his father, and even then, his father had his cold-hearted son's wellbeing in mind. The great Inu refused his son the sword that was rightfully his and gave him the Tenseiga in the hopes it would teach him some mercy. In the long run, the damned sword might have actually done a little bit of that, it was ultimately Kagome and Rin who had made the most changes in him, but the sword's presence and powerful effects may have broken some ground in him that allowed the little ningens inside. More than that even, his father had proven once again, to know his son's heart better than he had known his own. The great Taiyoukai had known that despite his callous nature that curiosity would get the better of him, that despite his hatred of the sword, he would one day use it. Simple curiosity. But it had been enough and Rin lived.

The demon studied the sword with an intensity that would cause a rose to wilt and die. Could the impossible become the possible? Could the sword that was before untouchable be the tool to protect his mate-to-be and future pups from harm he knew was fast approaching? Would it let him, or would it still reject him? Should he try it? He took a tentative step forward and stopped. No, if he was to be allowed to wield the sword it would be with Kagome by his side. This was also something that had belonged to her first love and it would be inconsiderate of him to just pick it up without first making sure she was alright with it. The sword in his half-brother's hands had saved her life more times than the inu would like to admit. The poor girl was lucky she made it as far as she had in the feudal era and it was largely due to the effect she had on those around her. The miko had made changes in the hanyou that he hadn't thought possible. He understood now that she hadn't made his half-brother soft, she had made him a better person and a better fighter. She gave him patience and a heart for both demon and human, thus making him accept himself more the way he was instead of being frustrated at his dual heritage.

Nodding to himself at his decisions, he resolved to speak with her about it later that day as well as discuss other things of import. Satisfied, he stepped backward out of the room and slid the door closed behind himself.

Deep blue eyes cracked open a sliver and were immediately squeezed shut. Why was it that the sun always had to be _so_ inconsiderate and shine right through her window on her at such an ungodly hour? … wait… if the sun was that high in the sky… then that means… Kagome sat bolt upright in bed. Sesshomaru will be so incensed that she'd slept in! The sight of the sheathed sword across the futon brought her up short. _Oh yea… Fubuki was fixed last night_. The tiny miko looked over to the other side and studied the sleeping neko demon. The poor woman was usually up long before the miko was, but she must be so exhausted from the exchange that she slept in. _And she deserves to_, the little miko decided with a firm nod.

Throwing a plain set of miko garments on and swiping her hair back in a sloppy ponytail, she set out from her room to find the demon lord. Breathing deeply she closed her eyes and honed in on where the taiyoukai's aura originated from and headed in the direction of his study.

Padding softly up to the door, she lifted her hand to knock on the door and was told to enter before her hand reached the wood. Letting herself in quietly, she sat on a cushion by his desk and waited for Sesshomaru to finish writing, watching his long elegant fingers deftly moving over the paper with a quickness that betrayed his demon heritage and an accuracy gained over years. After a few more moments of writing, he replaced his writing utensil in the holder and looked up at his miko, his golden eyes dancing over her figure before resting on her face.

"I'm so sorry for missing practice this morning," she launched right in before he could say anything, "but with everything that's happened and all the excitement I guess I just overslept. Usually Akiko is there to make sure I get up but she's still recovering and was resting when I finally got out of bed..." Sesshomaru held up a clawed hand to stop her babbling, a small smile playing across his lips, making her stare.

"It is fine, little one. I had anticipated that you would be tired this morning, so I busied myself with other matters while you and your newly unburdened servant were sleeping," she nodded slightly, her eyes drinking in the sight of him sitting behind his desk like an elegant statue. "I wanted to discuss with you the reason for my tardiness in coming to dinner last night, or rather why I missed it completely," Kagome's head tilted to the side a little, her cerulean eyes trained on him in curiosity, the hair from her ponytail falling loose and curling appealingly around the pale expanse of her swan-like neck, his eyes snapped to her face again to focus, "I was sending messages to the lords who recently departed after our meeting about the holy group. Obviously matters are far worse than what we speculated about and the information was crucial to pass along as quickly as possible." The little miko nodded her head in solemn agreement. Gracefully he rose from his desk and moved to stand at the window, looking out over the gardens. She watched him in concern, it was not often he displayed his inner turmoil in a manner she considered openly. To an outside observer, the movement was something to be considered normal, but for the stoic Sesshomaru, it was not. Standing slowly and moving to his side, she put a gentle hand on his silk clad arm and looked up at him, her eyes entreating him.

"Sesshomaru, please tell me what is bothering you?" his eyes were focused far away, ordering his thoughts.

"It has not escaped my attention that this may be a fight that will end up being devastating to those involved," Kagome's eyes widened slightly, "nor have I forgotten the things we discussed and the information I learned while I stayed with you so long ago," his eyes fell on her face and she paled slightly. "My little miko, no matter what happens, no matter what the future has in store for us... for my people... I will always protect you. Nothing will ever harm you while I draw breath," the small priestess stirred uncomfortably.

"Sesshomaru, don't say things like that. The future is never certain, even the knowledge you obtained while spending time with me... we don't know what will happen, or why things are the way they are. It could be that there's more than meets the eye. Perhaps details did not reveal themselves because it would upset the balance of things, perverse the natural order. If all was to reveal itself before it was due time it would harm the flow of time even. Though I do not know if my involvement has altered anything, one thing I do know is that as long as we are together, it will be alright." The taiyoukai listened enraptured, her wisdom and knowledge never ceased to amaze him, especially coming from such a small, beautiful woman. Kagome smiled at the expression in his eyes, wrapping her small arm around his back and nestling her waist close against him, absorbing his warmth. His arm wrapped protectively around the little miko and they stood for a while, gazing out over the expanse of lush green gardens.

"A thought occurred to me while you slept," the little woman tilted her head back to regard the demon towering above her, "it might be a good idea if you were to visit Yoko's palace in the east," she looked at him curiously. "I have a lot I need to accomplish around here, to include hours of research as well as preparations and evaluations for my lands and troops. You as well have much you need to learn, though it cannot be from me. Demon society is vast and complicated and though you passed the banquet in certain victory, there are many nuances you do not know about. Better you do not inadvertently cause all out war between my house and another by saying the wrong thing," his eyes glittered in amusement at the scowl on her face. "This is not an insult," he interjected when he saw her draw breath to assault him, "in all seriousness there is much you will need to know as the head of a taiyoukai's household and though you've done an amazingly admirable job, Yoko, though her techniques are rather brusque, will be able to teach you better than anyone the things that you really need to know. I trust she will also leave out many of the more mundane things she deems not necessary. Yet another reason I send you to her, as I am sure she will cut many corners and leave your training not nearly as complete as a youkai female noble's would normally be, but perhaps that is a good thing." He couldn't help the small smile that surfaced at her grin.

"Somehow, my dear lord, you manage to insult me, compliment me, and make me giggle all in one monologue," she turned a teasing glare at him and he stared down at her in amusement.

"Of course I also have selfish reasons for sending you..." she looked up at him curiously, "Yoko can also teach you more about youkai mating and hopefully make you more comfortable with the idea," his hand slid tighter around her waist pulling her flush against him, dipping his head to take in her scent at the nape of her neck, his breath bathing her in warmth that quickly spread to other regions. "I promised you I would give you the time you need," he whispered against the back of her ear sending shivers down her spine, "though part of me is very impatient, I will continue to wait," he pulled away and she nearly whined at the loss of his warmth, the expression on her face bringing him an inward chuckle. The little woman was his and only his, body and soul, though he had to wait for the body and that was endlessly frustrating for him, especially his beast. He held out a slender, clawed hand to her.

"Come my lady, I have something I have wanted to show you for some time, though the time was not right until recently," she looked up at him, her curiosity shining through her lust clouded eyes and he suppressed another inward chuckle. Baiting her was just too easy. Curiosity got the better of her and she slipped her hand into his own and he led her from the office, shutting the door silently behind them.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Sesshomaru led the tiny miko down corridors that she had never seen before. The couple's winding path took them past quite a number of vast, unknown rooms to her and she glanced in them curiously. A part of her mind told her this was a section of the palace that she had only visited briefly once. This was the old family wing that was no longer used and she glanced all around her, taking in everything she could see while they passed. Old portraits hung on some walls; valuable family heirlooms cluttered some rooms and were placed in obvious honor in others. Everything, though a little dusty, was painstakingly taken care of and Sesshomaru explained as they passed that only one servant was allowed in this section of the palace and they came in twice a year to clean the dust off and light incense to honor his ancestors of the past.

Kagome soaked up everything as they went, wondering in the glory of his family's history, marveling at how long the family had ruled and the legacy they had left behind to be honored by those of the future. A pang of sadness struck her that these things did not exist in the future; much of Japan's beautiful history ended up destroyed in one war or another. Many heirlooms so carefully preserved would be eradicated without a second thought, or pawned off to the highest bidder to sit in some rich noble's house until it rotted away or was cast off like another unfashionable decoration. So much history and heritage lost to callous and uncaring hands. Greed was indeed an ugly thing.

Abruptly he stopped in front of one of the closed shoji screens. The modern miko watched him in fascination as he reverently opened the screen and stepped aside to allow her entrance. Slowly she stepped into the room, looking around her in wonder. The contents of this room were not as old as the others and the incense in here was stronger, as if it were burned more often. The inu youkai watched her as her head slowly turned to take in everything. Her eyes were drawn to a magnificent set of armor against one wall, set on display in an obvious place of honor, the spikes and planes glimmered gently in the faded glow of the room. It was so similar to Sesshomaru's own but different at the same time. She couldn't help but glance up at her companion.

"Your father's?" she asked quietly and he nodded. A few hesitant steps brought her before the shrine, her eyes filling in the empty armor, imagining the great Inu no Taisho who once wore it. Kneeling reverently she bowed and paid respect for his deceased father, treating the armor as if he were there wearing it, and said a silent prayer of respect and thanks to the man who made Sesshomaru who he was and who brought two amazing men into her life.

Sesshomaru, for his part, was impressed. Such shows of respect were expected at shrines for the dead, but she took it a step further and greatly honored his father and herself with her actions. A swell of pride filled his chest as he knew in his heart that his father would have been proud of his choice. Finally she rose and returned to his side, her eyes filled with too many emotions to name them all.

"Though I thank you for your reverence, this was not the reason I brought you here," he told her quietly and she nodded, her eyes still dancing. Gently he took her hand and turned her to a darker section of the room. When her eyes adjusted he heard a soft intake of breath. There in a place of great honor, sat the battered and silent guardian of InuYasha: the Tetusaiga. Placing a steadying hand on the supporting arm of her demon lord she stared at it a while before looking up at him.

"Sesshomaru, where did you find it?" she asked barely above a whisper. He looked down at her before gazing himself at the fang that had protected his half brother for so many years.

"Over twenty years ago, when a badly injured miko asked me to bury the bodies of her fallen friends, curiosity and honor got the best of me and I complied with her wishes, though she fell unconscious and did not witness the process. I realized when I reached the body of my fallen half brother that although I no longer desired the sword's power, Tetusaiga would not remain buried for long if I were to place it with his body. Nor would it do the sword justice to leave it in the ground. Wrapping it carefully in cloth I sealed its power with a spell and left it in the hollowed trunk of a tree.

"If by some miracle creatures were to find it and break the enchantment I knew it would not trouble me overly much to hunt them down and simply take it back. I was not concerned. Upon my rather sudden return I discovered the sword had not been touched. Incapable still of touching it myself, I brought it back to my home and set it here, where it has remained these many years." He looked down at her, the miko captivating him with her endless blue pools.

"It occurred to me that InuYasha was only capable of using the Tetusaiga when he did it in defense of you, a ningen, as my father designed the sword. At the time, I was incapable of utilizing its power or even touching it due to the barrier my father erected about it. This Sesshomaru's cavalier attitude toward the lives of humans put a stop to that." His eyes danced curiously as his gaze once again rested on the aged blade.

"In recent times however, a certain miko has turned my once orderly life completely upside down and changed almost every aspect of it." Ember orbs turned and regarded her gently and she felt as though she would burst. "I did not, however, want to attempt to take up the Tetusaiga, even in your defense, if you did not wish it. The fang became as much yours as it was InuYasha's during his lifetime and I would not wish to dishonor his memory should you desire I not use it." Kagome's heart in her eyes, she looked from Sesshomaru to the dormant sword and back again. Of anything he had done or said thus far, this by far topped them all. To take her feelings and place them even above what he thought to be the best way of protecting her filled her with such love for him that she hardly felt she could contain herself. A thought drained some of her joy.

"Sesshomaru... what if the fang still rejects you? My belief was that part of why InuYasha could wield it was because he was half human. Though I know your father used it and was full demon, the sword has rejected you for as long as I've known you. What if it hurts you?" she asked fearfully.

"The sword will not hurt me worse than it has in the past. I have wielded it despite its rejection of me, of course resulting in damage to my person, but nothing I couldn't handle. If it rejects me, I will simply let it continue to sleep. Is this your answer then, little one?" he asked, slight hesitation in his voice. Kagome smiled encouragingly at him and nodded solemnly.

Steeling himself inwardly and turning toward the sword sleeping peacefully, he stepped forward, his outward expression still that of bored disinterest, though the little woman knew better. The great taiyoukai would not have brought her here if this was not of the greatest importance. For so long he had sought the fang of his father and for so long had been rejected, even by the very sword itself. Eventually he had no need of its power, having become immensely powerful in his own right.

As he stepped forward and raised his hand Kagome understood that this was not a desire for power or even really to protect her, though that was part of his primary motivation. The young woman sensed that not all had gone well in the last hours of his father's life; regret hung about the powerful demon like a cloak. She knew in her heart that this was his way of reckoning; his form of acceptance; his need of forgiveness. If the fang accepted him, it would be his way of redeeming himself before his father's gaze.

The powerful hand of the taiyoukai hovered above the hilt of the Tetusaiga for a split moment, though just enough for Kagome to feel his hesitation before his steely resolve took over and his long, deadly fingers closed over the hilt of the battered blade.

No lightning, no shield was raised to fend off his advance. Hope swelled in his chest and he felt slightly light headed. Part of him doubted that he would be accepted, that the sword would sear his hand upon nearing the cloth of the katana. Gripping it firmly he gently lifted it from its place of rest and grasped the sheath with his other hand. Metal against metal rang through the silence of the room as the rough blade slid free.

Kagome watched her demon as he reverently held the fang of his father before him. A moment passed, two... with a surprisingly loud roar and a blinding flash of light, the Tetusaiga transformed into the fang of its natural glory. The blade shimmered with the power of the diamond, a hint of red with barrier breaking, but most of all, glowing brighter than she'd ever seen it with the combined power of the dual fangs of father and son forged into it mixing with the natural power of the eldest son holding it.

Her eyes like saucers she watched the face of the man she loved more than anything as he studied the powerful blade before him, not a hint of victory or malice on his features. Instead his face held nothing but awe and relief, his mask in another rare moment completely gone, leaving the Sesshomaru within to shine through. Never had she ever seen him more beautiful than she did in the light of the Tetusaiga with such raw emotion present on his porcelain features.

With control that only Sesshomaru could possess, he deactivated the sword and quietly returned it to its sheath, reverently tying its battered strings to his belt to rest with his other swords. Though he looked like a walking armory with three swords at his waist, she couldn't help but smile, her joy for him boundless.

Sesshomaru finally met her eyes, finding the largest, most heartfelt smile he'd ever witnessed before on her features, small tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she watched him. Leaping high into his arms she wrapped her own small arms tightly around his neck, her feet dangling far off the floor as he held her up against him. Reveling in the feel of her body pressed so against his own, his arms in turn wrapped around her small frame, holding her in place. Pulling back she kissed him firmly, much to his surprise, though he was never one to complain about such things. Finally when she pulled back panting slightly, she grinned sheepishly at him.

"Gomen, Sesshomaru, for the outburst," she said, her eyes still swimming with emotion, "I got a little carried away." He shook his head lightly.

"Not at all, little one, I rather enjoyed it," he said still holding her tightly against him, her feet about a foot off the floor.

"Um... you can put me down if you want, Sesshomaru." He looked at her curiously.

"Now why would I want to do a thing like that?" he asked and a blush formed on her cheeks. "I rather like the way things are right now," he insisted staunchly, "unless, however, you happen to think my chest is an uncomfortable place to be..." he asked, an eyebrow raising elegantly.

"I didn't say that!" she exclaimed.

"Good," he cut her off, "now then, if you were to wrap your legs around my waist we could really get into some interesting things..." he said in a deadpan voice. A moment later realization dawned on the innocent little miko and her blush spread straight down into her robes.

"You HENTAI!" she gasped, half giggling, half mortified.

"And it is _my_ fault you are amazingly beautiful and your every move taunts me and begs me to touch and kiss your every curve?" he asked, his expression still blank. Kagome thought she might actually die from blood flow to the face.

"If you're trying to give me time to adjust you're not doing a very good job," she pouted, unable to prevent the corners of her mouth tilting upward slightly. Kissing her forehead gently, he set her down.

"You are right, my love, but do not think your insistence on taking your sweet time is not taking a toll on my sanity," he said taking up her arm and guiding her toward the door.

"You mean you have some of that left?" she asked, feign amazement on her face. A glower from him had her giggling as he shut the door carefully and the couple continued off down the hall.

As the dust from their disturbance in the room began to settle and the air ceased to stir, warmth radiated gently from the suit of armor reverently placed against the wall. A tall taiyoukai, his silver hair in a high ponytail, regal markings on his cheeks and forehead, his armor gleaming and perfect in the dusk light appeared, his image shimmering as he stood next to the shrine in his honor. A smile and a bow of his head were the inu lord's only movements before he faded away, leaving the room to its silence.

A day or so later found the little priestess bustling about her room in half a frenzy, packing for her soon to be trip to the eastern kingdom. She had visited the coast only a bare few times and she couldn't deny her excitement at the prospect of seeing the ocean as well as her dear friend again. Of course, those few visits had been over four hundred years in the future when buildings and pollution marred the landscape of Japan and she looked forward to seeing it in its pure state.

Akiko sat helpless on her futon as her lady darted around the room. Every protest she'd made and every attempt to help her lady had been staunchly put down. The cat demon was not to exert herself at all, despite the fact she was recovering quickly. A day or so more and the tiger would be back to full strength, none-the-worse for her ordeal with Fubuki in her body. Though part of her couldn't deny that it felt quite a bit more quiet and lonely in her body without his constant quipping, she was glad to be back to normal.

Her sad, expressive eyes fell on the sheathed sword lying quietly on Kagome's futon and hoped ferverently that his recovery was swift as well. The neko couldn't help but miss him after being so close to him for so long. A frustrated huff from the other side of the room brought her attention back to the present and she watched the priestess toss aside a garment she obviously disapproved of.

"Akiko," she practically whined, "why do I have so many kimonos and not as many practical clothes?" She glared at the silk. Akiko stared at her dumbfounded.

"There are more practical clothes than kimonos?" the neko asked hesitantly and the priestess nodded vigorously. Waving a hand dismissively she began digging again.

"Oh never mind, Sesshomaru's much happier now that I'm wearing more 'decent' clothing, so I guess there's no contesting the matter... though I miss jeans terribly." Akiko tilted her head curiously not understanding what 'jeans' were.

Soft tapping at the screen heralded a visitor and Kagome veritably growled for the person to enter. An apologetic fox demon face poked in around the partially slid open screen and the little priestess looked up with her own expression of remorse.

"Oh, gomen, Sho-san… packing has put me out of sorts, do come in," she said turning and stuffing garments into a bag with more force than was necessary.

"Sesshomaru-sama was speaking with a few of his subjects and sent me to inquire as to when the Lady Kagome might be ready to depart," he said sheepishly, stepping inside hesitantly. The captain was all too familiar with the fits the little miko was capable of throwing and made sure the exit was readily available in case the need to depart became urgent.

The young woman in question made a smoldering look at the wall before turning and smiling in an all too sweet and definitely fake manner, at the young captain, making him wince inwardly.

"Please tell _his lordship_ that I will join him when I'm damn good and ready." Sho suppressed a chuckle despite himself and quickly ducked out. "Stupid, arrogant pup," the priestess grumbled under her breath making the poor cat demon sitting nearby blanche at the colorful terms cascading from her mouth. "One would think he was anxious to get rid of me," she continued to grumble.

"Now, Kagome, you know that's unfair of you," the small woman sighed.

"Yes, I know, sometimes he can be so damnably aggravating. I'm not one of his subjects to be pushed around or pushed to the side." Akiko smiled.

"You know he doesn't think of you that way," she said gently, rising to her feet and ordering Kagome's bags while her back was turned. Refolding the clothing and adding a few accessories the young woman had forgotten in her haste as the miko plopped down on the seat next to her futon.

"I know, Akiko. Half the time I think he just can't help it."

"You're probably right," she agreed with a smile.

Glancing to the side, the priestess laid her hand on the silent katana beside her on the futon, the neko demon watching her with sad eyes as she straightened the last of the miko's rumpled garments.

"I'm going to leave him here for this trip. I will be safe with Yoko-chan and he needs his rest," her servant friend nodded. Raising her torn eyes to the woman across the room, Kagome smiled gently. "Will you watch over him and make sure he's ok while I'm gone?" she already knew the answer but was relieved to see Akiko nod with a sad smile.

"Yes, Kagome-san, I will take good care of him."

The silver haired taiyoukai was outside the palace discussing plans with the head of his guard, Daichi, when abruptly and loudly a bag was thrown at his feet. Glancing down at it then up in the direction it came from, his eyes were met with a very irritated little woman standing a short distance away, her arms crossed under her bosom, one little black eyebrow raised in his direction.

"Alright, Mr. High-and-Mighty, I'm ready to leave when you are." He stared at her a moment, unsure of the reason for her irritation until a gentle breeze brought an enticing scent drifting under his nose and he inwardly smiled.

At least it was Yoko and not him that would be dealing with a disgruntled miko in a few days. For now she was simply in her fertile stage when the irritation of being ready to bear children yet no ongoing actions to do so relieves the pressure. He was certain Yoko would be more than willing to commiserate with her over the pain in her abdomen, but for once, his palace would be without the heavy scent of her womanhood, allowing him some peace in the late hours of the evening.

The lord would never reveal this to her, but those times were hardest on his resolve to wait for her. It was his natural instinct to take her in her time of high fertility and to deny himself his desires was difficult when her scent permeated the entirety of his home.

"This Sesshomaru had no intention of rushing you out the door, little one, and a time frame was my simple request," he informed her in his usual bored tone. The guards were still unaccustomed to someone questioning their lord and having him actually give an answer as opposed to beheading whoever dared ask, but it was a change they were quickly growing fond of. The repartee between the couple was amusing for all within listening range, so long as they did not show it for fear of their own lives.

A message had been sent to the Eastern Lady the moment the decision had been made and although Kagome was happy to be visiting her good friend, part of the reason for her grumpiness was that first off, he somewhat considered this a time period of training for her and second, she would miss him more than she really wanted to admit.

Accustomed to his underhanded courting tactics, the petite woman knew it would take a few days to stop looking over her shoulder, expecting a strong arm to slip around her waist when she was distracted. Sesshomaru for his part was thinking similar thoughts, though no one would ever know. It had been his idea to send her, though now he doubted the wisdom of such an action. Not only would the woman be out of his reach, who knew what horrible ideas and bad manners the aquatic lady would teach her? Suppressing a groan and steeling himself as he saw the object of his desires put an indignant hand on each hip, his face carefully blank, he waited.

"It would have been nice," she began in clipping tones, "if I had been given a time frame as well," she glowered at him. "If I'd known you'd be sending me the moment you heard back from her, I might have been a little better prepared," she pouted a little and the taiyoukai had to forcibly keep his eyes on her eyes and not wander down to her lips.

"How, this Sesshomaru wonders, would the little miko ever survive should an attack on the castle happen? I am sure the enemy will be more than courteous enough to give you advanced notice, that way you will be fully prepared and primped before they arrive," his baritone, dead-pan voice revealed nothing, but Kagome saw the sparkle in his eyes and fumed.

"This is not an enemy assault!" she ground out and a quicksilver eyebrow raised at her.

"Oh? This Sesshomaru seems to be quite assaulted at the current moment," he baited her and was rewarded with the bright flush in her cheeks.

"What? So I'm an enemy now?" she all but yelled back at him. Before she could blink he was behind her, his lips at the shell of her ear, his warm breath cascading down her neck causing an uncomfortable warmth and tightness to pool abruptly in her belly.

"Not at all, my dear. Though sometimes just keeping my hands off you is a battle on its own," the small woman shuddered a little and he wrapped an arm about her waist. "Now if you are done battering this Sesshomaru with your feeble verbal attacks, we should be on our way. Lady Yoko is expecting us." Kagome grumbled under her breath as Sesshomaru grabbed her bag and summoned his cloud beneath their feet. Wind began to whip by them at an alarming rate for someone not used to the speed and Kagome's arms were wrapped firmly around her demon, partially for that reason, but also because the whipping air chilled her and she could feel his warmth even through his armor.

So quietly she almost missed it, he leaned closer and whispered, "I am also eager to send you away because then you will return to me sooner." Smiling she snuggled closer to his warmth and held on, her little hands finding purchase in the creases of his armor and pressing them against the soft silks of his hakama, feeling the firm body beneath.

Within moments the ocean came into view, expanding before them and the priestess stared in awe. To her delight, the castle that appeared on the coastline was not as large and grand as she had expected it. It looked more like a very large and majestic Japanese style house with a wall erected around it. There were sprawling gardens and glorious fountains everywhere, spilling over into small, trickling streams that wound their way through the lush landscape. Large windows adorned two sides of the estate, open to the sea and the gardens.

As they drew closer, Kagome realized the house was much larger than she'd originally thought, though it didn't appear as a castle, it had to have well over a hundred rooms in its interior, probably much more than that. The sloping roof was sectioned off giving it the impression that it had been expanded more than once, though where one had started and the other began, the architecture was beautifully done and did well to hide it.

Alighting in the gardens, the small woman was about to ask Sesshomaru if it was a good idea to just show up in the gardens unannounced when Yoko appeared in one of the doorways. Squealing her delight, much to the agony of his sensitive ears, the aquatic lady lunged forward and grabbed up her miko friend in a crushing bear hug. Kagome laughed and hugged her back, wheezing a little as the air was forced out of her lungs by the powerful woman. Stepping back and brushing her turquoise hair out of her eyes she regarded the younger female.

"It's so good to see you again, Kagome-chan! Thank you for bringing her here, Sesshy, I'll take good care of her," she grinned and winked in his direction and was rewarded with an annoyed dead-pan expression.

"If you need to contact me you know how to reach me." Yoko nodded at the inu lord and smiled brightly. Turning to Kagome his eyes rested on her for a moment. "I will return for you in a week," he stated blandly, his cool façade in place.

"You can do better than that," Yoko insisted putting one hand on her hip and shaking a finger at the demon lord, "say goodbye to her in a better way than that!" she scolded him before turning to the blushing, ebony haired girl. "I'll be inside, come on in when you're ready!" with that she bounded back into the house, her aqua hair bouncing merrily behind her.

Suddenly shy, Kagome fingered the worn metal hilt of the Tetusaiga by his side and refused to look up at him, her cheeks stained a pretty shade of pink. A single clawed finger under her chin brought her eyes slowly up his armored chest, past his elegant neck to his pale porcelain face. Her breath caught in her throat at the unguarded look in his eyes and leaned into him reflexively as he brought his head down and captured her lips with his own. After a few moments he pulled away, clearly satisfied with the look of disappointment in her eyes and smiled one of his small, rare smiles.

"I will return in a week, do not miss me too much," he said, his usual cold attitude slipping into place making the miko giggle.

"Oh, I'm sure _you_ won't miss me at all, will you, Mr. Icicle," she giggled at the flat-line expression she received and flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned to head inside, purposefully giving him a great view of her swaying hips as she walked away. Tossing him a half lidded, lusty expression before she disappeared inside, he grunted inwardly at her underhanded tactics and disappeared in a blinding ball of light.

Kagome giggled as she slid the door closed behind her, knowing full well the havoc she had just wreaked upon his mind. _Two can play the teasing game, my inu love,_ she thought gleefully as she pushed away from the door to go find her watery friend.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Yoko turned out to be an awesome hostess. The house was even larger on the inside than the miko had previously imagined and she marveled at its amazing structure. Despite the fact that the house overlooked the water, there were fountains and tiny man-made rivers everywhere. Almost every room sported some kind of water-works, each completely different and unique in design.

When Kagome questioned this, the simple reply was that water was comforting for demons that were aquatic-based. Of course this made sense, but a thought occurred to her; the youkai she was acquainted with had shown their obvious forms or had somehow informed her of what type they were. Yoko had not, nor was it obvious what she actually was. The little priestess had never seen her true form and had thus never inquired as to what kind she was. Deciding it wasn't really important, she let go of the thoughts for a few days, simply enjoying the company of the older woman.

Their misadventures had started out in the household where Yoko taught her the basics of keeping a youkai household and what duties were expected of her. Having done quite a bit of this in Sesshomaru's house during the party and subsequent housing of other youkai lords, Kagome already knew a lot of it, but refreshers were always good.

Moving their jovial and raucous lessons to the library, Yoko then began to teach the miko youkai history and how certain traditions came to be. Youkai history and current day workings were steeped in traditions. Not much had changed from the distant past to the present. Yoko laid out whole volumes of scrolls, all elegantly decorated and some with illustrations of the amazing demons who comprised their history and legends.

Again, the small human was struck by an intense feeling of sadness and loss for such a rich and obviously powerful culture. Surely not everything was lost in the 500 years from now until her own time? Sadly, she could not deny the truth. Unless the youkai in her time took careful and painstaking care to keep themselves and their culture out of the public ningen eye, then she feared there was nothing left of this precious culture's history.

Returning her thoughts to their lessons she regarded the older youkai woman's profile while she read a passage from an old youkai proverb, something to do with inner strength. Kagome had not previously noticed due to distraction the last time the oceanic demoness had visited, but the reason for the shimmery quality of her skin was that it was comprised of tiny, elegant and delicate scales all of iridescent quality, though tinted aqua green strongest at her jaw line, above her eyes, and in other areas of her person where there was a crease or indentation. Once again, the thought sprang into her mind that she didn't know exactly what kind of demon Yoko was.

Glancing up, Yoko gifted her with one of her mischievous smiles.

"If you keep staring at me that way, I'll have to inform Sesshy-poo that he has competition," a dark blush of mortification spread across the miko's cheeks and the demoness laughed loud and long. Closing the book she'd been reading aloud, she turned to her friend, tucking one foot against her on the chair and draping an arm across it in an easy and comfortable manner.

"But really, Kagome-chan, what's up? You've been staring at me with that curious expression for almost 10 minutes now," she said with a chuckle further embarrassing her.

"Well," Kagome hesitated, "it's really silly, but I realized that in the time I've known you, I never was told or heard what kind of demon you actually were. I mean, I knew you were an ocean or water-related youkai, but I can't place from your aura what kind you actually are. You're one of the few I have yet to have had encountered in my travels." Yoko smiled.

"In all honesty it's probably because my kind generally sticks to large bodies of salt water… in other words the ocean." She chuckled at the 'well duh' look that crossed her friend's face. "Would you like to see my true form? I just realized that I've had yet to take you down to the water front and show you the spectacular beach we have here." Cerulean eyes sparkled and danced in anticipation.

"Yoko-chan, I would love that!" Giggling, the turquoise haired lady grabbed her by the arm and they raced down the hall headed to their prospective lodgings to grab bathing supplies before heading out of the castle to enjoy a day in the sun.

Armed with blankets, picnic supplies and bathing kimonos, the excited duo practically skipped their way to the edge of the cliffs and descended down the steep though safely carved trail leading to the white sandy beaches below. Kagome gasped and smiled broadly at the beautiful sights below her and her demon partner smiled up at the miko's obvious enjoyment.

"My husband picked this spot for our house before he even met me and took me as his mate he said it was the one place where he felt most at peace." Kagome nodded, understanding the sentiment.

After a few minutes of descending the women finally made it to the soft sand and the miko giggled, kicking off her sandals to enjoy the feeling of the white material between her toes. Picking a spot near the water, they set up their little picnic spot and proceeded to disrobe. Yoko assured her that her property was completely private and her sentries would keep away any prying eyes.

Wading into the water, a sigh escaping her lips as the water lapped at her muscled thighs, the color of the water already blending with the shimmer of her skin the demoness turned to her friend.

"So, would you like to see what I truly am?" she asked with a grin and Kagome nodded, a flutter in her stomach despite her trust in her friend. She knew nothing would happen to her, but demons in their true forms were always intimidating.

Yoko turned and sprinted full tilt into the water, waves suddenly churning around her as her power began to build. The miko could feel waves of her youki rolling off the water, but it was non-threatening and she kept her powers carefully in check so as not to disturb or threaten the more primal nature of the creature she was releasing. Water shot upward suddenly in massive jets that reached more than four stories above the priestess standing a short distance away on the sand, the disturbed water lapping gently at her feet.

Without notice, the water ceased churning and spouting and there was no sign of her friend. Straining her eyes to catch any kind of movement she scanned the water carefully, her eyes darting back and forth, alarm beginning to build in her mind. Off to her right, a bulge began to form beneath the water, as if something very large was moving very fast, pushing the water above it like a tunneling creature would do to the landscape.

The disturbance was moving parallel to the shore and she watched it with rapt interest. Without warning the water exploded and a creature with iridescent scales shot into the air. She was _huge!_ Her form fully extended as she was now was almost as long as her house. As Kagome watched her soar through the air, expecting her to crash back down, she realized what she was looking at.

Yoko was a flying fish! Heaving her fins downward, the enormous aquatic demon did not descend back into the water. Instead she soared upward, her scales reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling array of color, the webbed fin of her back was folded close to her spine - Kagome assumed for less drag on the air - her tail swinging from side to side much the way a dragons would in flight.

Yoko's form was astounding! It was nothing like Kagome had ever seen, she was a flying fish… literally, but there were a lot of differences too. Her tail was longer and much more flexible, bending and flipping as her wings beat the air, spraying sparkling droplets all around. The wings themselves were not wings either; they were most definitely huge fins, translucent, the bones showing vein-like through the shimmery skin. Her body was a deep aqua blue that bordered on royal blue but with a green tinge to it, but her fins were that same iridescent blue green that her scales were in her human form.

The creature's whole body shimmered like millions of ocean colored diamonds, but the most interesting part was her face. It was elongated, almost like the face of a mammal; elegant lines in green hues ran across the length of her face to curl under black, emphatic eyes. Her mouth was more like the muzzle of a reptile, complete with long sharp fangs that poked generously from the top of her mouth as well as smaller ones from the bottom. Petite shimmering fins sprouted from the middle of her body and waved in the wind as she swam the air.

Turning in an arching manner that faced her back to the girl on the beach, the beautiful aquatic creature banked toward the shore, slowing her wing beats and arching her back, landing her lower section into the water gracefully. Long shimmering fins pushed forward, slowing her momentum more, causing the demoness to glide to a stop mere feet from the priestess. The eastern lady was sitting in the shallows almost the way a seal would, her body arched, looking down at her friend, her lower body partially submerged in the surf.

A whirlwind of water rose up causing the miko to cover her face with her hands as water sprayed her, the fine mist creating a rainbow that she missed while her eyes were squinted against the flying ocean water. Moments later, Yoko once again stood before her in her more familiar form, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Well," she inquired of the still shocked miko, "what do you think?" Her head tilted to the side, aqua hair spilling over one shoulder.

"Yoko-chan, it's beautiful! I never knew ocean demons like you existed!" The older woman chuckled.

"Because of how crucial water is to us, we tend not to stray from the ocean for too long. Many of us have decided that life on land just isn't as comfortable as the freedom of the open waters." She waded to where the now calm waves lapped at the sand and sat down facing the surf and Kagome sat beside her. "But because part of our kingdom is solely land creatures, my late husband built the fortress on the cliffside instead of in the sea." The priestess nodded in understanding.

"So, obviously your true form would have its limitations right? I mean, it doesn't look like it would be terribly graceful on land," the miko inquired, curiosity lighting her eyes.

"It's not as cumbersome as you would think. It's a little like a dragon with no back legs. I tend to waddle a little or slither slightly on my belly, but the large front fins are capable of putting out quite a bit of forward momentum and make maneuvering fairly easy. Plus most of the time I'm in flight," she commented, staring at the distant horizon. "The one major problem is my scales dry out quickly. I need water more in that form than I do in this one. If I'm without water for too long then I begin to lose energy quickly and it becomes very dangerous." Her eyes turned to her lounging friend.

"I'll bet you're deadly in the water though," Kagome commented with a grin and was rewarded with a wicked one in response.

"I'm unbeatable in my natural habitat. My body is so streamline, all I have to do is tuck my fins and maneuver with my tail; my fangs do all the fighting." She grinned again, her distinctive demon fangs glittering in the sun. Turning back to her friend she regarded her carefully. "And you felt no fear at seeing me in that state?" The little miko shook her head and grinned, her ebon hair cascading about her bare shoulders in thick waves.

"After facing down Sesshomaru's dog form and living, I don't think there's a single thing out there that could scare me that much!" Yoko giggled at that before lying back in the sand.

"You, my friend, are definitely unique among humans then." Her eyes slid shut and the little miko stared out over the ocean, contemplating taking a nap herself.

Later that night found the females sitting by a cozy fire on the beach, they had napped for a good portion of the day, just soaking up the rays of the sun and relaxing, having the odd chat every now and then. When the sun began to set behind them, tinting the sky in pinks and oranges, they broke out their picnic basket and ravenously ate everything they had brought, the sun having drawn out their hunger, laughing at one another at how 'ladylike' they were acting. Replacing their discarded garments, they built the small fire in lieu of heading back in the house and watched the stars come out and twinkle.

As she stared up at the darkening sky the little miko felt a pang of loneliness clutch at her heart. Not that she was want for company, she was more than happy and entertained here with her dear friend, but a certain someone was very apparently missing. Curling her legs under her and tucked into the warmth of her kimono she rested her chin on her knee, wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging them close.

"Yoko?"

"Hm?" the other woman lay flat on her back in the sand tracing patterns in the stars with her eyes.

"I know… pairings with ningen and youkai are … different… but could you tell me a little more about the mating process…?" she asked hesitantly, a twinge of fear and apprehension lilting her voice. Her companion considered the question carefully.

"Well, I don't know much about ningen pairings. Frankly I never had a reason to know, so I apologize for not knowing the difference, but youkai mating is very simple really. Sure there is a lot of tradition that surrounds it and makes it seem much more complicated, but I'm guessing your question has nothing to do with the trappings _around_ mating," the priestess nodded.

"I know I told you that youkai mating involves a… transfer of blood. Well this is not as crucial a part of the process as it may sound." Kagome glanced at the demoness curiously. Yoko raised herself on her elbows and glanced over at the girl. "When youkai mate, there is of course the ceremony, which can be as simple or elaborate as you wish it to be, though as the Lady of the West, it will be expected to be lavish and as elaborate as possible," the priestess cringed, "but the part of the whole thing that's most important is the mating night." Kagome's cheeks tinged pink.

"The whole blood thing, though important really only takes a moment. It can happen anywhere on the body you wish, a typical youkai way is to sink one fang into the other's shoulder at the same time and lap the wound gently. This is probably not going to work for you since you don't have fangs," the miko couldn't help giggling slightly at that, "another way is to make a small cut in a finger or on the palm and press the wounds together or place the cut in one another's mouths. As long as opened flesh touches the others in a moment of intimacy, when both parties are aware and willing then it doesn't matter the method," Kagome listened intently.

"The basic reason behind it is it's a sharing of power and life. Depending on the type of bond, some youkai will pick up traits of one another and some won't. Whether this is tied to the transfer of blood or just to mating and becoming close, no one can say for sure. Many demons speak of marking their mates. This is a less practiced and more old-fashioned way of doing things. I'm not sure if Sesshomaru will want to mark you or not, but I'm sure he would discuss it with you before then.

"He may wish to if there are no residual changes to you from the mating process. Other than that, it's a simple session of making love. Youkai are a little more passionate than humans are, that I know for sure, so the mating process might be a little rougher than what you may have heard from friends or acquaintances. This is especially true of dog demons, though again, I'm sure Sesshomaru will treat you as gently as he is capable," Yoko sighed.

"It's not precisely the mating process that has me slightly worried about you two, although I'm ridiculously happy to see him actually in love for once in his miserable life and I'm overjoyed for you… but the nagging suspicion in my mind is that his youki will want to change you slightly in the process of taking you as his mate. With your miko powers, I have no idea what will happen. That's like trying to mix oil and water," she said, running distracted fingers through her bangs, sweeping them out of her eyes, but creating a tousled mess on the top of her head where the hair had pulled loose of her long ponytail. The little miko shrugged.

"What will come, will come. I know Izayoi survived the mating process without much trouble and managed to give birth to InuYasha, so I know it's possible. But I somewhat share your worries." Her eyes were locked on the stars.

"There's no recorded pairing of a miko and a demon of Sesshomaru's power and stature. My fear is that even if the mating were to succeed, you may never be able to bear children." Kagome held her breath, the thought hadn't occurred to her. "I mean, it would be creating a war within your womb," Yoko stared at the dark horizon that only demons eyes would be able to make out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring such a dark subject up…" Yoko started to apologize but stopped at a shake from the ebon haired girl across the fire.

"No, these are things to consider… and they're very important," the fire lit the younger girl up in orange highlights, dark shapes dancing across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, casting shadows on her jaw from her hair.

"Whatever happens," the aquatic lady said barely above a whisper, "I will be here with you through it all." Kagome turned to regard the woman staring at her fiercely over the flames, her eyes set in a determination that lent the miko who felt so small her strength.

"Oh!" she burst out suddenly startling the little woman, "I forgot! We have cake tonight!" Yoko said excitedly leaping to her feet and gathering their belongings. Kagome grinned at the older demoness and rose to her feet, helping her gather their things.

Yoko loaded up the basket then told the girl to climb on her back and hold on. Gingerly doing so, she anchored her arms around the woman's neck just in time as she leapt into the air, easily soaring from perch to perch on the rock cliff, scaling it in a few moments. Once at the top she let her breathless companion down with a giggle and they headed off to the softly glowing house arm in arm.

"No, no, Kagome-chan, the line goes like this," taking the brush gently from the dark haired woman, the ocean lady corrected her incorrect stroke with a delicate curving line and the little miko huffed.

"Honestly, I don't see why you guys don't just have a simpler language," the turquoise haired woman burst out laughing.

"Oh, humor us and our silly traditions, now again," she said her eyes twinkling as Kagome huffed, the frustrated sound blowing her bangs out of her eyes and attempted to write the complicated character.

Yoko had been teaching Kagome the intricacies of the ancient youkai language that the little miko had seen Sesshomaru use more than once, but she'd never realized how difficult it was to learn. Yoko for her part was very impressed; though she didn't show it the small woman was picking up on the language faster than most demons did while growing up. However she happened to know that her dear friend learned best when she was being baited so she willingly obliged.

Sighing slightly to herself, she watched the miko as she carefully drew the character on the sheet, taking more time than was necessary to draw the character perfectly. Tomorrow Sesshomaru would be here to take the miko home. Though Yoko had enjoyed their week together immensely she knew the castle would be much quieter and lonelier than it was with her here.

Wandering the hallways alone always depressed her slightly, remembering better times when her husband was there around any corner, waiting to tackle her playfully and make her smile. It was difficult sometimes not to curse the Kami's for her fate. Some say it's better to have found someone, if only for a short while. Part of her agreed and another part staunchly disagreed. The pang of loneliness sometimes seemed overwhelming when even after this much time had passed and she still found herself reaching to her husband's side of the bed in her sleep, waking when her hand failed to find his warmth. Though the memories sustained her, she couldn't help but wonder if they sometimes brought her more pain than comfort.

Shaking her head with a small mental push, she knew this was not true. She cherished every moment she had with the man she had loved. Though he was taken from her abruptly and much too soon, she was glad for every memory she had.

Gleefully Kagome held up the paper for inspection just like a pup would at their first lessons. Yoko couldn't help grinning.

"Much better! Now, on to the next!" The miko's face fell and the ocean demoness laughed.

The next morning dawned bright and clear, finding the two women sitting quietly in the gardens, having already eaten. They mostly sat in silence, enjoying the morning air, one thought on their minds: Sesshomaru would be there soon. Yoko for her part would miss her friend greatly, but was full of gratitude none-the-less that the miko had come to stay with her for a while.

Kagome would miss her friend terribly, but not nearly as much as she had missed her demon lord. Though she had enjoyed her time, every waking moment he was second in her thoughts, following her like a spirit. She missed his masculine smell, the way his eyes would light up when their eyes would meet, his small smiles reserved only for her, the feel of his warm, muscular body when he would hold her close, devoid of his armor.

Yoko and Kagome chatted lightly until they felt a familiar and powerful presence approaching the castle quickly. Barely having time to rise to their feet before the bright ball of light appeared before them and dissolved into the form of Sesshomaru they smiled at each other. Kagome hugged her friend tightly.

"Thank you, Yoko-chan, I had the most wonderful time!" the miko said a little teary eyed.

"No, thank you, Kagome-chan, your presence brightened my home significantly and I eagerly await your next visit." She pulled back, her own eyes misting over. With a grin Kagome turned and leapt into her waiting demon's arms, hugging him tightly. With a nod over her shoulder to the aquatic lady, he scooped her up bridal style and they disappeared in his ball of light.

Sighing to herself she turned and headed back into her home, mentally checking off a list Sesshomaru had left with her regarding the Seisenmin* and the preparations for upcoming war.

Alighting on the balcony to his private rooms he pushed aside the curtains and stepped within, letting Kagome's feet drop reluctantly to the floor, her arms still wrapped firmly about his shoulders. Leaning down he kissed her gently, drinking in her intoxicating scent as well as the feel of her soft lips against his. _Kami_ he had missed her. There wasn't a moment in the time she was gone that the infuriating woman wasn't foremost in his thoughts.

Pulling away to breathe, her soft breath warming his face she held him close, their noses nearly touching, he watched her as she stared at his mouth, obviously enraptured. Finally those emotive cerulean orbs rose to meet his and his breath caught in his throat.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered. His ears perked up, eager for the sound of her voice, "I think… I mean I know… I'm ready…" she said, her confidence building and his heart clenched a little, anticipation rising within him.

"You are ready…?" he inquired barely above a whisper, she nodded.

"I'm ready to be your mate," she whispered, her hand sliding through his hair to trail down his jaw, her little fingertips leaving fire in their wake, his skin aching for her touch.

With a strangled groan he crushed her mouth against his, fingers tangling in her ebon tresses, needing to feel her as much as she needed him.

"How long will it be before…" she asked when they separated, panting slightly, not quite sure what her question was, uncertain as to if it was called a ceremony or something else.

"The ceremony will take place here in the castle of the West and will be a closed celebration. I want no intrusions or dangerous visitors to ruin our moments of joining," he said, determination clear in his voice and she nodded. "Close friends and family only, we can have a larger more lavish celebration after," he said, catching her lips again, cutting off her mumbled reply.

Far be it from him to ruin the moment by telling her he hated big parties anyways. Then there was the fact that it would delay them from the part of the ceremony he was most looking forward to. A light growl reverberated in his throat at the thought.

Removing his armor with one hand, the other holding her in place he tossed it carelessly to the side, reveling in the feel of her lithe body pressed against his. Nothing, absolutely nothing was going to ruin their perfect moment together. _This, my love, I promise. _

*Seisenmin – the holy group bent on eradicating the demons.


	39. Chapter 39

Author's Note: I lost a lot of inspiration, so I apologize for this chapter. My hours at work more than doubled, so I've been really tired and bereft of creativity. Hopefully it'll get better.

Chapter 39

News of the couple's coming mating was kept extraordinarily secret. Hand carried private missives were sent to Yoko and Takehiko's family. Matsu was still too new to his rule and not quite as trusted as the northern lord and eastern lady. They planned the ceremony for two weeks out, not wanting to rush things, though not wishing to delay them too much longer either, much to Sesshomaru's relief.

Sitting on her bed, Kagome sifted through piles of material that her overly eager neko servant friend had brought her, insisting she find the perfect one for her gown. The little miko couldn't help being caught up in the excitement. Not one to be bothered by the fact that it would be a smaller ceremony than she'd dreamt of as a child, she smiled dreamily as she looked over the fabrics, still incapable of making her brain acknowledge the fact that she was marrying Sesshomaru. She was really _marrying _him!

Giggling to herself, she realized what her reaction would have been so many years ago, if she had told a very battered and injured version of herself, as she was carried to the well by none other than her love, that this day would come. Akiko gave her a strange look as she continued to pile neatly folded fabric in the girl's lap.

"Oh, Akiko-chan!" she exclaimed, grasping her surprised neko friend's hands. "I never thought this would ever, even in my wildest dreams actually happen to me!" The demoness flashed a brilliant and genuine smile at her lady, sweeping her into a big hug.

"No one deserves it more, Kagome-san," the women embraced tightly for a few moments longer before holding one another at arm's length and giggling lightly.

Later that night the futuristic miko lay on her futon, staring at the dark ceiling, the moon playing its gentle light across her covers and shining off the floorboards. Her mind awhirl with all sorts of thoughts and dreams she found it impossible to think, her stomach a flutter of anticipation for the next two weeks to come. Repeatedly her thoughts returned to the years spanning her dubious friendship with the demon lord she had so fallen head-over-heels for.

With clarity she recalled the first time she ever laid eyes on the stoic lord, his unearthly beauty making him seem so far away from her; so inaccessible and cold. Then came the day she pulled the Tetusaiga from its resting place in his father's tomb, the day he lost his arm to hers and InuYasha's careless actions.

Lazily, her thoughts continued to roll forward in time, replaying the rare and touching scenes when he would show up with the little girl, Rin in tow, Jaken squawking his disapproval the whole way. The memory of the times he'd saved her life, whether purposefully or accidentally drifted through her thoughts; the final days before the battle and his acquiescing to bury her friends.

So clearly she remembered the feel of his arm holding her as she drifted in and out of consciousness during the trip to the well, her embarrassment when she awoke in the tub in her panties and bra; his first real words to her as an equal when he told her not to mock the memories of her friends with her guilt.

Their time in the future, the sword lessons, their time in school, the night club, shopping together at the mall; the intense feelings when he did things like scare her and make her hit her head on the desk she was crouched under. That particular memory brought an involuntary giggle bubbling out of her. Then shortly after was their first kiss.

Shifting onto her side and closing her eyes, she could still feel herself laying on top of him, looking down, his hair splayed out around him like a blanket of molten silver, his intense golden eyes regarding her with barely suppressed amusement. Then the feeling of their lips pressed together for the first time. Shivers ran down her spine and she smiled. The memory of her mother walking in on them gave her a bittersweet smile.

_I wonder how they're doing?_ If she had stopped to think about the situation, it would have occurred to her that they didn't even exist yet. This fact was irrelevant to her however because her precious well spanned time. Oddly enough it always seemed to run parallel as well. Night time in the feudal era was night time in the future.

Rolling again to her back, she watched the shadows dance across the ceiling again, her vision faded, not even seeing anything in her present time. _I wonder what they're doing right now? _Despite the fact that he was annoying, she greatly missed her little brother, Souta.

Briefly, her mother's loving face flitted across her vision and tears sprang to her eyes. There wouldn't be any dress shopping together, no bridal plans, no cake shopping, no invitation design browsing, no mother-daughter bonding over coffee with full shopping bags next to them in the little café in the mall. Her mother wouldn't even get to see the ceremony. If she ever even saw her mother again she wondered if she would recognize her own daughter.

Sitting up, she curled her legs against her and hugged them tightly, resting her head on her knees and gazing out the window sadly. _If I ever see her or Souta again, will they even know me? Will I have changed too much? I've been so focused on rising to the challenges of living here in the feudal era that I've forgotten all about trying to go home. _A silent tear slid down her cheek.

She knew. She knew that no matter how much she would miss her mother and her home, her place was here, in the feudal era at the side of the most powerful taiyoukai in all Japan, for better or for worse.

Chances were she would never see her mom and brother again. Humans don't live long against the test of time. Demons fare better, but that simply meant that perhaps Sesshomaru would live to finally meet her mother… long after she herself was gone.

Picking up her head she gazed out the window intently. "How would that work even?" she asked the darkness. Surely if he even survived to the future he would hide his aura. Otherwise she would have felt someone so powerful during her forays home. Perhaps he watches over their home in secret? If he survives to the future, maybe that's why she never felt threatening youki. Perhaps he kept them all away?

Shaking her head at her thoughts she smiled. Doubtful. All history of demons stops after the holy wars. Who knows if youkai even survive at all? With the Seisenmin gathering in power the little miko didn't doubt that soon a war would soon erupt. _How_ soon was another debate; it may not even be in her lifetime.

Then there was history itself. She knew the war would have to occur. If it does happen in her lifetime, who is she to stop the flow of history? To perhaps make a wrong decision and alter things?

A strangled hiccup accompanied a disturbing thought. What if history dictated that she outlive Sesshomaru? What if things accelerate and he dies in battle? Closing her eyes tightly she willed such thoughts away. No need to dwell on things yet to come.

Skirting such dangerous thoughts, she teetered back to safe ground, her wedding. _He may call it a mating ceremony all he wishes, but DAMNIT! It's MY wedding!_ A giggle escaped her and she laid down, sleep continuing to run circles around her, taunting her in a most irritating manner.

Rubbing her eyes and glaring in indignation at the sun peeking over her balcony she couldn't help but wonder if Sesshomaru gave her this room on purpose. Sure, it was the one right next to his, but it faced east. Why in _Kami's name_ would _anyone_ want their bedroom window to face east?

Akiko smiled at the grumpy woman. Unbeknownst to Kagome, she had been aware of her sleepless night and had shooed Sesshomaru away when he had arrived at her door to take her to the training dojo.

Risking his wrath, she informed the taiyoukai of the west that her lady had endured a sleepless night in her excitement for the upcoming ceremony and would need her rest for the weeks to come. Grudgingly he had given in, much to the neko demon's surprise and glee. Kagome and the ceremony was his weak spot and she wasn't about to shy at using it to spoil her lady.

"Come, Kagome-san. Let's get you to the hot springs for a nice soak before breakfast," Kagome glanced up, her eyes still half open as her friend held out her bathing kimono, ready for her to slip her arms into. With a groggy grin the little miko complied. Akiko knew just how to make a bad day start out good.

Akiko practically dragged the sleep deprived woman to the hot springs, though the moment the miko sank below the surface up to her chin, her mood immediately brightened. With a smile Akiko pinned her sleeves up and tucked her skirt into her waistband and slipped into the water, Kagome's favorite soaps in hand.

The miko rose out of the water to her waist to allow the neko access to her hair. The youkai woman scooped her hair up to begin working out the tangles when she stopped short, staring at the ebon tresses filling her hands and spilling out luxuriously.

"Kagome-san…?" the younger woman looked over her shoulder at her servant friend curiously. "I know this will seem… a little strange… but will you allow me liberty to do something for a moment…?" Akiko asked hesitantly.

"Akiko-chan, you are my friend, of course, you may do what you wish," the little miko replied, smiling over her shoulder briefly before turning back forward.

Letting out the breath she'd been holding, the neko cleared her senses before completely surprising Kagome by burying her nose deep in her raven hair, sniffing in a most animalistic manner and making her giggle.

"Akiko-chan!" she giggled more, "what is it you're doing?" The younger woman giggled again as the neko continued to sniff around her hair, then the skin at the back of her neck and her shoulders. The soft blowing of air as she sniffed at her tickled and the ningen woman giggled more.

Finally satisfied, Akiko sat back and stared at Kagome, still holding her hair with both hands, a thoroughly astonished look on her face.

Turning around and pulling her hair gently free to float in the water around her shoulders she looked up at the woman above her.

"What's up, Akiko-chan? What were you looking for?" cerulean orbs gazed at her friend questioningly and the neko shook herself from her musings.

"Kagome-san, I don't know quite why or how, but you're missing something most ningen's have. Which is something that turns off most youkai from spending too much time with them." Kagome cocked her head curiously at her friend.

"You lack the stench of decay." The miko wrinkled her nose.

"Gee, I would hope so! I mean, I'm not dying or anything." Akiko was already shaking her head.

"No, my lady, you misunderstand. _Every_ human has the stench of decay, because from the time of their birth, they _are dying_." The miko stared at her. "Ningen who are living obviously don't emit a strong smell of decay, but it's still there. Their life spans are so short compared to ours, however when a youkai sweats or exerts themselves overly, the smell is evident on them too, just not nearly as easily detectable.

"You, Kagome-san, have none. There is nothing in your smell that would indicate the natural break down of your body." Kagome continued to stare at her friend.

"So… what does that mean?" The neko shrugged. "Do I not have to exfoliate or something?" the miko giggled a little before sobering again and listening.

"I wish I knew, it was something I noticed about you when I first became your handmaiden, but I pushed it to the side as unimportant," she looked at her lady and friend. "It's possible that you are not susceptible to the onslaught of time. That you do not age." Kagome nearly guffawed at that.

"What? Akiko, you cannot be serious, not even youkai are immune to time," despite her response of disbelief, she couldn't help the butterflies that lodged themselves in her stomach. _What if I don't age? That would mean I could live as long as Sesshomaru!_ Then doubts flittered in. All her thoughts from the night before came crashing down on her head.

With a sigh Kagome stared at her reflection in the pool, her thoughts a dizzying whirl of doubts, fears, possibilities and the tiniest glimmer of hope.

"Well, Kagome-san, there's no way to be sure, all I know is that you lack the smell that inherently makes you human. Neither are you mated to Sesshomaru-sama yet, so it's not like there was a transfer of power that made your aging process slow down." She considered her friend carefully.

"If my opinion means anything, I would say your story of your miko powers sustaining your youth would now be a valid claim." Kagome glanced at her guiltily. "You did say so, yourself, that Midoriko had a way of extending her life as well." The miko nodded, hesitation lodging itself in her eyes.

"Akiko… you know I said that out of desperation. There's no real evidence she was capable of that kind of power. She didn't live long enough." Guilt plagued the innocence behind her open expression.

"Well, no matter," she quipped cheerfully, rather abruptly dumping a container of water over her miko friend's head to wet her hair. Kagome sputtered and stared up at her neko friend. "We can have the doctor look you over and give his opinion. Until then though, we have a wedding to prepare for you!" Kagome grinned happily, ignoring the water streaming down her face.

Sesshomaru was sitting in his office, wading through paperwork that never quite seemed to ever reduce itself in size. At the current moment he was glaring at a document that stated one of the lesser noble's claim to a portion of his land. _The fool has no idea who he's dealing with_. The taiyoukai set the paper in his stack of 'to teach a lesson' for later days.

Abruptly he felt a swell in Kagome's aura and glanced at his door. Smirking slightly he began counting down. He had reached ten when he finally heard her soft, rapid footfalls.

_Three…_

_Two… _

_One…_

His door slammed open revealing a flushed and out of breath Kagome, her kimono had slipped off her shoulder slightly in her apparent rush toward his office. His golden gaze trailed her form appreciatively.

Blushing harder under his gaze she pulled her kimono back in place, missing the disappointed light that crossed his eyes.

"Why Kagome, dear, what is so important that you had to run all the way here? Did you miss training with me this morning that much?" He smiled inwardly as her blush darkened. Taking a deep breath and calming herself, she shut the screen behind her and seated herself on a cushion in front of his desk.

"Sesshomaru, have you ever noticed something… different about me?" He raised an elegant silver eyebrow at her.

"Little miko… that list is too long to even begin to try and document." Bingo, angry flush.

"That's not what I meant!" He grinned inwardly. "What I meant was do I smell differently than other humans?" she asked, gazing at him intently.

He was about to open his mouth and let loose another teasing remark when he stopped up short. Come to think of it, his little miko had always appealed to him _because_ of the fact she smelled different than other humans. Even back when InuYasha was her protector.

Kagome was pleased to see him actually thinking over her question. Hope began to rise in her chest. Sitting back, he folded his hands across his lap and regarded the woman carefully.

"Yes, I do admit it is part of the reason I was able to adapt to your presence more easily than I would have had you been a different ningen. Is there a purpose behind this train of questioning?" he asked a little more stoically than he'd intended, relieved to see that it didn't put Kagome off in the least.

"You'll never believe this," she started in and went on to explain her conversation with Akiko that morning. After her bath, the two had perused more bolts of cloth, searching for the perfect fabric for her gown before heading downstairs to speak with the cook. Once that was completed, Akiko had asked for Kagome to humor her once again and led her to the Taisho family healer.

Akiko had to practically shove Kagome through the door to the youkai's office further disgruntling the already seemingly irritated, waist-high demon. Kagome had explained with frequent interjections and additions from her neko companion what their suspicions were. With each passing moment the lines of annoyance faded from his already wrinkled face and were replaced first with disbelief then intrigue. He had heard of the miko's wondrous powers of rejuvenation but had yet to put it to the test. From what he gathered of their proposal, that was exactly what they were asking him to do and it floored him!

Leaping to his oddly shaped feet excitedly he had scurried around the room dumping out various herbs and bowls and other odd shaped instruments he had decided he would need in the process, still having failed to voice is assent to help the ladies. Grunting he had unceremoniously taken Kagome's hand and dumped several foul smelling, gooey substances on her palm and told her to hold them for a while. The miko had wrinkled her nose but complied. The midget demon then proceeded to cut a chunk from Kagome's voluminous locks much to Akiko's chagrin. She knew she would need to find a way to hide the awkward cut when she styled the girl's hair. Afterward he scraped the dripping substance off Kagome's hand and into a bowl where he added a few more strange smelling substances.

Thrusting a needle like blade at the woman he then ordered her to draw some blood in whatever way she found most comfortable, informing her that he would need a good amount. The miko had gulped slightly and looked at her arms, not entirely liking the idea of becoming a 'cutter.' Choosing to take the diabetic method, she pricked and dragged a tiny bit on a small section of the side of her left middle finger, letting the youkai hold a bowl under it. After a few minutes of watching the crimson liquid drip out of her body and into the bowl the demon handed her a cloth and she bound it carefully.

The demon pronounced he had everything he would need and had waved the women off, telling them he would find them if he discovered anything. Shrugging the women had risen to their feet and returned to Kagome's rooms talking excitedly.

It wasn't long before Akiko looked up from their musings over dress pattern books upon hearing the patter of little youkai feet. The healer had booked it all the way from his studies on the other side of the palace to the family wing just to show them his discoveries. Kagome's skin, blood and hair responded in a more resilient manner than youkai.

"Wait, what do you mean 'resilient,'" the miko had questioned him.

"Exactly what I said," he huffed at her. "You are still a ningen, and therefore weak of body, however your skin and cells resist the onslaught of age. Or at least that's what my tests are revealing. Obviously nothing will be proven until you actually reach the age where it would start to show," he started rambling on about his studies and what led him to his conclusions.

Once Kagome's monologue was finished she folded her hands in her lap and watched her youkai carefully for any kind of signs, good or bad.

Sesshomaru's mind was awhirl with possibilities. If this were true, he would never have to worry about losing her. She could spend his whole life at his side. The thought was tremendous.

"Well," he said breaking the silence, "I guess we will know when the time comes. Until then, it is a simple hope, one that I would suggest we do not cling to." Kagome's face fell slightly. Wasn't he happy at the thought that they might be together longer?

Standing he came around his desk and sat down beside her. Taking her chin in his hand he lifted her face to his, studying her fragile features and seeing the slight hurt deep in those blue depths.

"Do you think it would matter, little miko? I love you for who you are and nothing will change that. Of course this Sesshomaru would be overjoyed if you were to remain beautiful by his side for centuries to come. Do not think for a moment however, that I would love you any less if your body did age. If you became old and grey, stooped and wrinkled. I fell in love with Kagome, selfless priestess, loving caring adopted mother, loyal friend and honorable woman."

He stroked her face as tears welled up in her eyes. "Your appearance as an amazingly beautiful woman is just a bonus." He leaned in and kissed her quivering lips, trailing soft kisses down her jaw to her ear. "A very nice bonus I might add," he whispered sending shivers down her spine.

Pulling back he touched her nose with one elegant clawed finger causing her eyes to cross slightly in the most adorable manner.

"Now, you have a dress to decide on and I have business to attend to with both the lands and the ceremony. Do not worry about the invitations, I will see to those. All I want you worrying about is what I will be taking off of you later that evening and what food you wish to have at the ceremony." She flushed a deep crimson. "The decorations and such are more of a traditional thing and will be taken care of by the servants. They already know what is expected of them."

Kagome nodded, her blush still not subsiding. Rising to her feet she headed to the door, feeling like nothing could ruin her day.

"Oh, Sesshomaru?" she asked turning to see him settling himself once more behind his desk.

"Hm?"

She shifted her weight, rolling her hips seductively and brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't think a few centuries with you would be a bad thing." She grinned impishly before disappearing through the doorway leaving a very steamed Sesshomaru behind.

_I would not mind at all either, my little miko. _


	40. Chapter 40

Author's Note: Wow… so much time has passed. I doubt even some of my more faithful reviewers are still following this. I myself had to actually re-read my own story. In the years since writing it I had forgotten almost half of my own writing.

A few weeks ago I stumbled across a review of this story and on a whim I fired up to read some of the comments and reviews people had left. Some had me laughing and some had me crying. I had forgotten the following this story once had. An immeasurable sense of guilt settled over me at having left it incomplete. So I set out to find the motivation to revamp earlier chapters to fix errors and then finally finish it.

I think I finally may have… don't forget to review, I can't improve unless you do.

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EROTIC CONTENT. YOU ARE WARNED BEFORE AND AFTER SUCH SCENES. PLEASE SKIP ACCORDINGLY IF YOU DO NOT DESIRE TO READ THEM.

Chapter 40

Time flew by in such a blur for the couple. Sesshomaru was good to his word and her staff was amazing, taking care of every little detail for her. All she had to worry about was her dress and appearance. Fubuki fretted constantly that he wouldn't be recovered enough to witness the happy event, but his worries were laid to rest when he finally succeeded in materializing in his human form once more.

Kagome grinned knowingly as Akiko threw herself into the elemental's arms, planting a burning kiss on the unsuspecting man's lips. He immediately grinned and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as the little miko excused herself from the room. It was about time they finally got together, she giggled.

Finally the day arrived and Kagome awoke with so many butterflies in her stomach that she felt she might burst. The bride wasn't allowed to leave her room until the ceremony so Sesshomaru wouldn't see her as was tradition. Akiko fussed over her for an eternity, making sure every fold was in place, every crease of fabric fell just right, that her makeup was absolutely perfect, and every hair remained where it was painstakingly placed. The miko felt she was suffocating under all the fabric and headdress, but she had never looked so beautiful in her whole life.

A fleeting moment of sadness filled her as she spent a moment of silence thinking of her mother, Souta and Grandfather who wouldn't be present. They had supported her so much through her time travel and it was a crime that they wouldn't be there to see her happily married.

Then… it was time.

The ceremony was _perfect_. Even with those around her that she loved, Akiko, Fubuki, Yoko, Takehiko and his family, she found she couldn't focus on anyone but the image of Sesshomaru. He stood before her in his family's traditional ceremonial garb like a statuesque god and he similarly couldn't take his eyes off her. The palace shrine was decorated beautifully as Sesshomaru and Kagome stepped forward to say their vows. All too soon the ceremony was over. As neither of them had any family present it was short and sweet and he broke tradition by gathering her up and kissing her before everyone to much applauding and hooting, though the hooting was mostly from Yoko.

Everyone had waited so long for this moment, the two in question more so than anyone present and they were thrilled to _finally_ see the couple together and so happy. Immediately the revelry started and everyone crowded around them to wish them congratulations and a long happy marriage. Kagome practically glowed on his arm as they all adjourned to the dining hall for the reception.

Over the singing, dancing, conversation and general noise they couldn't keep their eyes off each other, but they humored their guests as was considered polite, smiling and chatting when necessary. Covered grins and sly looks by their guests were sent around the room as everyone knew it wouldn't be long before the happy couple disappeared.

Kagome took advantage of a lull in the conversation to escape from the room for some fresh air. Her sigh of relief was interrupted by slender, elegant hands capturing her face so her husband could claim her lips. _Husband_. She shivered and smiled against his mouth. After a few moments they broke apart, panting slightly.

"As breathtaking as you look, you must be suffocating under there. How about we sneak out of here and make you more comfortable?" she bit her lip to hide her coy smile, failing very obviously and nodded, an adorable blush settling across her cheeks under the white of her makeup. Like thieves they stole out of the celebration hall, hand in hand. Once free and clear he turned and scooped her up, dress and all, silencing the giggling woman with burning kisses.

Somehow he managed to open the door of his room without breaking their kiss and both buried with more silk than Kagome had ever seen in her life. Tenderly he set her on her feet by the futon and wiped her makeup off with the sleeve of his haori, not caring the white streaks he was leaving on the black material. Once her face was once more beautifully clear of any makeup he began kissing any exposed skin his lips could reach while peeling her out of the ridiculous amounts of cloth she was buried under, layer by layer.

Breathlessly she captured his lips with hers, her fingers working to remove his own massive amounts of fabric. A rumbling sound of approval made her giggle again.

*BEGINNING OF SEX SCENE: IF YOU DO NOT LIKE EROTIC SCENES THEN SKIP TO THE NEXT NOTIFICATION*

Finally they were down to her last thin robe and his hakama pants. His eyes met hers and for once he was completely at a loss for words, his heart in his throat, preventing all speech, but she understood the question in his eyes. She was ready. Slowly she backed away a step, fighting the resident flush in her cheeks, neck, and chest as she slowly parted her robe, letting the fabric slide off her shoulders to finally pool at her feet. If he hadn't been rock solid before, he was now, clearly evidenced through his pants.

She was more than perfect and his wait had been more than worthwhile. Though he had known this without seeing her before it didn't stop him from staring appreciatively. Kagome resisted the urge to cover herself with her arms, she'd never stood naked before a man before and she definitely had never witnessed that expression on his face before. He almost looked worshipful.

Bashfully she came forward, breaking his spell. Eagerly he gathered her in his arms, reveling in the skin on skin contact that had been denied him so long, capturing her lips demandingly, feeling his barely reined in desire threatening to overwhelm him. Kagome as well was swept away on a current of intense longing and burning desire, though it was all new to her. His scent was intensified ten times over and she felt practically drunk with passion as his large, dangerous hands began to roam and explore her body. Gently she pushed him back a little, eliciting a low rumbling growl from him to which she giggled.

"Not fair," she insisted, tugging at the tie on his pants.

"If you insist," a smile graced his lips as he divest himself of his last garments, extremely pleased with the small hitch in her breathing and saucer-like eyes. His chest and hips, admittedly she was well acquainted with from the numerous times she had healed him and blasted his clothing away in practices and fights. But her curiosity drew her downward, following the striped, magenta lines on his hips, continued down to his beautifully sculpted thighs and calves, intrigued by the matching stripes on his ankles. His very obvious erection was a little hard to miss however and was rather intimidating to the small miko. He was much bigger that she'd been anticipating. _How is THAT going to fit inside me?_ She started to panic a little.

Sensing her unease he gathered her up with a comforting growl, their naked bodies now pressed together, his very evident desire for her pressed against the flat planes of her stomach and a heated ache began to build in her stomach and thighs.

"You are not leaving my rooms again until I determine you can," he kissed her, slowly leading her backward and onto the futon, crawling up the bed as he situated her in the middle, sprawled out beneath him. "So be ready to never leave this room again," she giggled despite the heated blush settled on her cheeks.

Reverently he began worshiping every inch of her body with his mouth and hands. Kagome writhed on the bed, the sensations were so overwhelming and new that she didn't know what to do with herself. Sesshomaru crawled down her body, mapping all of it to memory, finding every little spot that drew out soft gasps, sighs and moans. He couldn't believe how perfect she was, her skin so soft and supple, muscles rippling underneath in the most enticing way, the soft flesh giving in so beautifully to his ministrations. Every curve, every dip, each crease of muscle, his mouth, tongue and teeth found them all.

Unbelievable heat built up in her stomach and between her legs, bathing him in the intoxicating scent of her arousal. Finally he reached her chest, moving around each breast carefully, avoiding touching her nipples fully. Kagome's hips bucked into him.

"Sessho-…" she panted, "I-… _oh-_" he finally sucked one pert nipple into his mouth and she cried out, arching firmly against him, her mind incapable of coherent thought anymore. He paid special attention to that one before moving on to the next, totally absorbed in giving her as much pleasure as possible. Achingly slowly he continued downward when he felt he'd done justice to the perfect mounds and began his heated trek southward. Kagome felt like she couldn't even breathe, what was he doing to her?

Gently he parted her legs as he reached the small patch of hair announcing her womanhood was close and he licked, kissed and sucked his way around it, carefully paying attention to all the wonderful dips and crevices in her thighs and hips. Her tiny hands fisting in the sheet below her amused him as he drank eagerly the overwhelming scent of her arousal. When his tongue finally snaked out and lapped at the slit opening of her womanhood she bucked hard against his mouth, his name on her lips like music to his ears.

Kagome was in a fog of desire, everything completely out of focus save for the burning between her thighs and the feeling of his lips and tongue against her most sensitive place. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and she tugged impatiently at his shoulders. Languidly he lapped at her one last time before acquiescing and climbing up her gorgeous body, his eyes glittering at the lustful look she was watching him with.

"Sesshou-… I don't… I need-…" she groaned in frustration at her jumbled thoughts and he purred appreciatively as her hands explored his body, feather light touches traveling everywhere she could reach, slowly moving down his abdomen.

"Tell me," he urged her as her trails made their way past his hips, touching the stripes curiously before continuing down, "tell me you need me," he whispered in her ear, earning a heartfelt groan from his new wife. "Tell me you want me, my little wife. Tell me you want me as much as I want you," she almost lost track of what she was doing as he kissed her.

"I do," she forced her foggy brain to work so she could form words, "I can't even describe how much I want you," she sighed against his mouth. The purring sound he was emitting solidified her resolve and her fingers experimentally dipped around the base of his erection and his rumble increased in volume, his ember eyes slid closed in ecstasy. Tentatively she slid her fingertips up the length of him before wrapping her fingers around him fully, feeling him twitch in her hand, watching with fascinated eyes as his head dropped and his breath came in pants.

"My love, as much as I look forward to letting you have all of me the rest of our lives," she blushed, "and I do not want to rush you but…" he paused, panting as her hand shifted on him, stroking him lightly, "I've waited over twenty years for you…" she stopped him with a kiss.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked shyly. That was all he needed. Her slender legs wrapped around his hips as he placed himself at her opening. Knowing they hadn't really discussed this at all, but hoping she'd simply understand he took her hand into his tenderly and made a small cut on the pad of her left thumb with a claw before making a mirror one on his own. She watched him trustingly, not even flinching when her blood beaded to the surface. Carefully he took her thumb in between his lips and she sucked his between hers, earning a small groan from him before he slowly slid himself inside, letting her adjust until he felt her barrier. In one small, swift movement he broke it and seated himself fully inside her. The small woman moaned in pain and pleasure as she clung to him, letting the unexpected pain subside.

Patiently he wanted for her to signal that she was ready, unsure how long he was going to last, she was tighter than anything he'd experienced. Finally she squirmed impatiently and he slowly slid out, eliciting the most delicious sounds from her. This was beyond anything she'd imagined and she clung to him like a life line, burning heat coiling in her belly as he began a slow rhythm.

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her, burying his hands in her hair and his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply as he picked up speed. All thoughts of making love to her slowly and romantically were frantically shoved aside by their united need, years of suppressed attraction and desire, and their love. Incrementally his pace increased and he raised himself on his elbows, relishing her string of moans and the blissful expression on her face. Her eyes opened slightly and she gazed into his own hooded, burning expression, feeling the coiled spring inside her ready to snap.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he doubled his speed, pounding in and out of her, closing his eyes as she threw her head back and cried his name. Their moans rose in unison as they approached climax, Kagome quivered, clawing at his shoulders with trembling fingers, the whole world blotted out by a curtain of silver.

Her cry of ecstasy was smothered by his mouth as she came hard, clenching down on him tightly. After a moment of staving it off he followed her, groaning into her mouth as his hips bucked of their own accord, spilling his seed deep inside her.

***********************END OF SEX SCENE*********************************

As Kagome began to come down off her high she realized a burning sensation had begun in her veins.

"Sesshomaru," she panted, "what-" he began trembling violently and his head drooped down on her shoulder as though it were too heavy to keep up. "Sesshomaru?" the burning and itching in her veins forgotten she heaved him onto his back and panicked when he wouldn't open his eyes or respond, still convulsing slightly. _Oh, Kami! My blood is purifying him!"_

The taiyoukai felt like he was burning alive from the inside out and his mind screamed in pain as he struggled to regain control of his body and respond to his desperate wife. Her miko blood, he realized was clashing with his youki and the ensuing conflict was tearing him apart. In a brief moment of clarity he calmed himself, instead of fighting it he reigned in his powerful youki and let both flow in sync instead of opposed.

Kagome watched, her heart in her throat as his eyes snapped open and he drew in a ragged breath. Gently she patted his chest, willing him to regain control of the redness tingeing his eyes. As he calmed she studied his face worriedly, watching him breathe deeply and his eyes returned to normal.

"Sesshomaru, I felt like I was burning alive from the inside and then you collapsed. What happened?" finally he regained full control and dragged himself to a sitting position.

"This Sess-… I… think…" he rubbed his face wearily, "when we fully consummated our marriage, our opposite blood mixed causing a reaction. Mine just seemed to be worse than yours," Kagome blinked weirdly and touched her ears.

"I feel like my vision is too sharp and my hearing too loud," she complained. And he looked at her, noticing a small shimmer on her forehead. Looking closer and brushing her bangs away he realized a very faint silver crescent was now in evidence on her forehead, like all the ruling ladies. Abruptly he stared up at her, a thought occurring to him as he realized the shift in his youki.

"Kagome, try to burn me," she stared at him dumbfounded. "Oh come now, you've burned me plenty of times with no qualms," she sweat dropped. "Trust me. Try to singe me." Hesitantly she gathered her power and directed it to the top of his hand, enough to welt the skin. Pink purifying energy lashed out and struck the surface, unbelievably neutralizing and dissipating, leaving his skin untouched. They stared at one another in amazement.

"My love," he cupped her face, "you have developed my senses and I gained your resistance to holy energy… I did not feel a thing," with a relieved sob she threw herself into his arms. Gently he caught her and lay back, dragging her across him to lay on his chest, gently placing kisses all over her face. "Thinking back, I cannot believe how much of a brute I was to you at times, I did some terrible things to you," he gazed into her eyes and she giggled.

"Yea, you were a bit of a jerk sometimes, but you had really cute moments too," she grinned at him and he gave her a look.

"Now, to make good on my promise earlier to let you have _all_ of me," he said suggestively with a rumbling growl, flipping her on her back and kissing his giggling wife.

In the following two weeks Sesshomaru was not able to make good on his prior promise that she train with him every morning as most of his time was consumed in researching ways to survive a war he feared was approaching. With Fubuki fully recovered Kagome returned to a normal routine of training with Sho and Daichi, spending time with her beloved husband when she was able.

One morning found Sho and Kagome sparring lightly with Akiko and Fubuki sitting in their usual spot off to the side, looking for all the world like two lovesick kittens. Kagome loved it.

Sho feigned an attack to the side and closed in for a strike, which Kagome completely and uncharacteristically missed. In fact, she had kind of stopped moving entirely. The kitsune paused and looked up at his lady, realizing she'd suddenly become very pale looking.

"Kagome-sama… are you-" abruptly she swung about and dashed for the door of the dojo, barely making it outside before emptying her stomach of its contents. In a flash her three friends were by her side. Akiko bent next to her as she continued to heave, shooing the two boys a respectful distance away. When she finally seemed to be done Akiko wiped her mistress's face tenderly, smiling to herself. She was almost positive she knew what was wrong with the western lady.

"Kagome-sama, is everything alright?" Sho asked in concern as the miko straightened finally, leveling out her breathing from exerting herself into the bushes.

"I-… I think so. I'll be fine. I think something from dinner last night just didn't sit right…" she paused and wiped her brow with her sleeve.

"That will be enough training, Sho-san" Akiko insisted. "I'm taking her ladyship inside to clean up and relax," Sho nodded his agreement and retreated after wishing her a speedy recovery. Akiko led a weak kneed Kagome into the palace and straight to the hot springs, Fubuki trailing behind before guarding the door in cat form.

"I don't know what came over me," Kagome said in shock as she sank gratefully into the warm, relaxing water. "I was fine one moment then all of the sudden," she paused and shook her head.

"Oh, I think I know exactly what's wrong," Akiko said with a knowing grin. Kagome stared at her baffled.

"Well are you going to tell me, or just laugh to yourself and be cruel?" the miko teased her friend and the neko demon laughed.

"Kagome-san, when is your next cycle due?" she was a little taken aback by the question.

"Um… I don't…" when she paused to actually consider the question, she realized she was late. Quite a few days late. Like, almost a week late. Her eyes turned into saucers. "NO WAY!"

Kagome's squeal was heard throughout the palace and Sesshomaru looked up from his paperwork at the sound. As per usual he started a countdown, and right on cue came her rapid footsteps and his door slamming open. He wasn't prepared however to see her come barreling into the room with her bathing robe barely secured about her slender body, still completely drenched, and throw herself into his arms. He barely managed to save his paperwork from a soaking before catching his flying wife.

"Kagome, what is going on?" he raised an eyebrow and looked to the neko in the doorway for answers who shrugged, completely incapable of understanding her current breathless babbling. She gave him a concentrated and irritated face before panting deeply, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm late," she finally panted out and he looked at her oddly.

"Late for what? You have no pressing appointments today," she shook her head, swallowing hard to try and stave off her heavy breaths.

"No, no! I'm late!" she pointed at her belly and it was his turn for his eyes to go wide. Abruptly he pushed her back against his desk and sniffed at her belly in a most canine manner making her giggle. Akiko quietly shut the screen with a grin and left the couple alone; thrilled that soon there might be pups about the palace. Finally his amazed gaze met hers and she grinned up at him, her eyes shining. Gathering her in his arms he kissed her ferverently, holding her tightly as she giggled in happiness against his lips.

"I'm going to be a father," he whispered against her mouth, earning a happy grin and a nod from his wife. "I'm the luckiest man to ever exist in this or any other time frame," she giggled again at his proclamation as he kissed her again, wrapping the robe around her firmly and picking her up, determined to take her back to the springs and finish bathing her himself… and to celebrate.


	41. Chapter 41

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, favs and follows! And WiccanMethuselah, are you the same from Dokuga? If so, holy squee myself, I'm honored! :3 Thank you all for your support, I hope you're all enjoying the new chapters. Don't forget to review and tell me what you did and didn't like!

Chapter 41

The palace was a whirlwind of excitement and activity once again. Yoko showed up the very next day upon hearing the news to plan and plot all sorts of baby events with her friend and fellow lady. Of course precautions had to be made and maintained. Sesshomaru was convinced that although Kagome had done an admirable job earning the loyalty and faith of many demons that there were still those out there that wished to do her harm for marrying a taiyoukai and now for preparing to birth a hanyou by him.

"I'm fine, Fubuki…" a vein stood out on Kagome's forehead as the elemental piled pillows behind the stewing miko.

"Now, now, Kagome. No need to take out your hormones on me," he chided cheerily, earning a covered giggle from Akiko.

"I'm not even showing yet!" Kagome protested loudly, waving her arms in irritation at the fawning man.

"Hooo… this is going to be a long few months, huh?" he chuckled and winked at Akiko who blushed.

"Oh get a room you two," Kagome groused, crossing her arms over her bosom making Akiko flush deeper and Fubuki's throaty laughter filled the room.

Sesshomaru's newfound resistances were also a large topic of conversation amongst the ruling lords and many suggestions were raised concerning ways to defend and protect themselves from the potent powers of their enemies. The taiyoukai convened at the western estate often to conduct meetings and share research, their concerns rising with each meeting. Nothing seemed to be turning up and the Seisenmin were strangely quiet. No one seemed to be able to find a base of operations and every time an encampment was found they would rapidly retreat and go to ground. It was also becoming increasingly difficult to make out which humans were part of the group and which were normal villages. In the interest of not terrorizing the human population they refrained from anything that would appear to be a 'witch hunt.'

Despite humanity's popular belief, the four lords were more interested in _protecting_ their human counterparts than destroying them. Had they desired to they could have already. Humans didn't seem to realize this however.

As Kagome grew in size, so too did their trepidation. It didn't seem sensible that they couldn't find _anything_ at all.

The shoji screen snapped open, though all the taiyoukai within had heard her coming they all pretended to be surprised when they saw her standing there.

"Why Kagome-sama, you look wonderful," Takehiko said amicably, determined not to stare at the growing belly of the priestess who stood in the doorway looking slightly disgruntled. The northern lord was sure Sesshomaru greatly missed the light tread the miko _used_ to possess.

"Kagome, dear… where is Akiko?" Sesshomaru asked innocently, steepling his fingers in front of him on his desk and gazing at her over them, his eyes dancing with laughter at her clearly annoyed expression.

"I don't need a babysitter, you ass. The baby is still in my stomach in case you missed it," she pointed at the rather large bump that was forming on her abdomen. "When were those new kimonos supposed to arrive? I'm tired of barely being able to close my robes," she groused. The robes were clearly rapidly becoming too small and Sesshomaru considered her with dancing eyes.

"My fellow lords. I am afraid we need to cease our talk of strategy and issues of estate and war because a more important matter has come up. My wife needs new robes," he ducked the scroll she chucked at him from the stand on the wall to her right, working hard to suppress his chuckle in front of the other lords.

"My, my Sesshomaru. I'm so glad you married her. You're actually personable and funny now," Takehiko laughed at the evilly arched eyebrow Sesshomaru shot his way.

Unknownst to the happy western household and their allies, the Seisenmin were growing immeasurably in power and influence, kept carefully out of the scouts watchful eyes, they gathered followers, holy relics, and slowly built reserves. The taiyoukai had ruled for centuries and their holdings would not be toppled easily. In secret they forged weapons, trained recruits and convinced every human they came across that theirs was the correct way. Those who opposed them were quickly, efficiently and quietly dealt with. A human not allied to them was considered a traitor.

The priestess Yui knelt before a shrine, deep in meditation as Kenshin, the leader of the monk branch of their operation approached and bowed low, paying tribute to the Kami she meditated to before waiting for her to speak.

"Yes?" she said in clipped tones.

"The scouts confirmed it. The former priestess Kagome has wed the malicious demon lord Sesshomaru. There is new news as well, however. She is with child," her eyes opened, filled with anger and disgust.

"As we thought. She must be possessed of a relic or perhaps the still completed Shikon no tama to allow her to continue to utilize holy powers. She and the child will be a nuisance, and a tool to use against the foul demon, nothing more. We still have a long way to go before we are prepared for an all out assault. Until then let your men know to be patient. We do not wish to anger the disgusting demons and rally them against us so soon. Make sure you are mobile. If they plan to attack we must be gone before they arrive.

"Continue recruiting outside the lord's lands only. Those within are not worth our time and will be crushed under our heel as traitors as we march through," the monk nodded with a malicious twinkle in his eye. Humans had suffered long enough under the rule of the demons. What was waiting a little while longer to exterminate them once and for all?

He rose and quietly stalked off, his robes swishing about him and his staff clanking softly.

Kagome's belly grew very big very quickly over the following months, alarming the miko at first. Yoko and Akiko patiently explained that youkai pregnancies did not last as long as human ones did and that her being human would probably not make much of a difference in the time frame. Kagome missed no opportunity to blame the demon lord of the west for her discomfort. Blame which he took in stride, usually twisting it around on her, claiming she enjoyed every minute of it.

One such evening Kagome sat in the dining hall on a stack of cushions, wolfing down every plate of food the staff placed in front of her while Sesshomaru watched in amusement. His little miko had actually lost weight during her pregnancy due to being unable to continue training, some of her muscle tone waning slightly, not that he minded. He was frankly amazed she didn't _gain_ weight from the way she ate.

Finally satisfied she sat back and sighed, placing a hand on her round belly and the other behind her to support her, shooting a narrow eyed glance at her husband.

"Don't you dare make any comments, you brute. I don't have a dog form to eat in like you do," he chuckled and rose to his feet to help her up. His rotund wife had difficulties rising to her feet the bigger she got, and she still had another month to go.

"Mocking you is the least of my worries, my dear wife. I am just glad you are feeding our son properly," she raised an eyebrow up at him.

"What makes you think it's a boy?" her arms cradled her burden as had become usual for her, almost appearing to hug it protectively.

"The shift in the hormones in your scent," he said confidently. "And brace yourself, he is going to grow a bit more before he is ready to face the world," she groaned and placed a hand over her eyes.

"Oh Kami… if he does, I'm going to pop!" he chuckled and took his wife gently by the arm, leading her to the gardens for their customary walk, which usually consisted of her plopping down by the koi pond and dangling her feet in the water. 'Swollen ankles' she claimed. Not that he minded, now that she was his he went out of his way to pamper her in between teasing the living daylights out of her.

"So," she said as he settled her down gently in her favorite spot, "if it really is a boy, what are we naming him?" she looked up at him curiously as he made sure she was comfortable and then folded himself elegantly, earning himself an irritated eyebrow from the woman as he sat, further making her feel like a graceless blimp.

"I had thought it over a little, but nothing definite came to mind," he admitted and she nodded, swishing her feet gently in the cool water.

"I had thought maybe we could name him after your half brother, but perhaps that is not such a good idea," she said leaning back on one hand with her other wrapped around her front. He nodded his agreement.

"The child _will _be a hanyou," Sesshomaru stated, causing her to look up at him in concern, "however he will be our son and if what happened to us during our consummation holds true, then he may very well be possessed of your miko skills and resistances as well as his half demon blood which will give him an enormous advantage," Kagome nodded, relieved that he didn't seem to mind the fact that his son will be a half breed. "You have been careful to not use your holy powers at all?" he questioned and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Of course I have. Until we're sure it won't hurt him then I act like every other normal human in existence. I haven't used my powers in months," the tone of her voice told him clearly just how much she missed using them as well as her training. A sympathetic arm went around her and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Fear not, little wife. It will be finished soon and you will be able to resume your schedule from before," he paused, "with some exceptions," she looked up at him curiously. "Well other than the obvious need to care for an infant, when he becomes older I have the distinct feeling that … he will inherit some of our personalities," her eyebrows rose in question, begging him elaborate. "Though a quiet child, I tended to be rather curious and this landed me in quite a bit of trouble in my youth," Kagome smiled, enjoying her mental image of a miniature Sesshomaru. The demon lord snorted. "And let us hope he does not take after my extremely loud, boisterous, and idiotic half brother," Kagome laughed.

The days continued to pass quickly with Kagome complaining the whole way, much to her husband's amusement and exasperation. He couldn't quite blame her though, carrying a demon child could be taxing on a youkai and he knew Izaoi had struggled with InuYasha's birth as well. Oh wouldn't his father be so amused by his son if he could see him now? _Take that, for your stupid homosexual comments,_ Sesshomaru thought to himself with a chuckle.

The occasional pang of guilt did plague him however. Memories of that night. The night of InuYasha's birth tended to surface frequently as his wife grew in girth, reminding him of the callous words he had spoken to his father. Now he understood. How he could kick himself. Perhaps if he had not been so selfish and power hungry his father might still be alive. How might that have changed things? And now, almost a century later, he was following in his father's footsteps. Only a century, had it really been so short a time?

One night a few weeks later Sesshomaru heard the oddest sound as he was finishing his paperwork before preparing to join his wife in bed. The miko should have been in bed asleep already and he rose from his desk, hurrying down the hallway in the direction of the sound and the now odd smell that was flooding the halls. Rounding a corner he found Kagome waddling slowly along, one hand on the wall for support, her other encircling her belly and her head low, sweat standing out on her brow. Clearly she had been heading for him.

"Kagome, what are you doing out of bed and without Akiko?" he asked immediately coming to her side to support her. With concern he noticed his wife was breathing hard and didn't seem to be able to straighten.

"Akiko…" she panted, "went to the kitchens to get me something. I wasn't feeling well, but after she left," she panted harder, her face now a slight grimace, "I started getting these weird muscle spasms and these cramps started," she waved her hand in front of her belly as if illustrating and her eyes had a glazed over, pained expression in them. His eyes went wide in panic and he immediately shouted for a servant.

"Get Akiko and have her ready our room, Kagome is going into labor," Kagome gasped audibly at his statement in between breaths and she grimaced again.

"This is too early," she whispered, the cramps were coming faster and she felt weak in the knees.

"It will be fine," he assured her, supporting her better so she wasn't so burdened, "birth times are an approximation anyway," despite the calming aura he was projecting to her he couldn't help worrying. It _was_ a little early. Slowly he helped her waddle her way back to their shared room, realizing how small his tiny little miko was. Would her body be able to withstand the trauma of birthing his child? Quickly he shoved these thoughts aside and focused completely on Kagome, leading her to the bed and helping her lay down, piling pillows around her to make her more comfortable as she began panting more heavily.

Akiko came barreling into the room followed by Fubuki, the nursemaid, the healer and a few servants carrying basins of water, cloths and herbs.

"Well isn't it just a fucking parade in here," Kagome ground out through gritted teeth as she gripped her husband's hand, completely missing his snort. _Oh my appropriate, polite little Kagome_, he snickered silently to himself despite the situation. Gently he sat on the bed by her side and snagged a cloth from one of the wildly running around servants, mopping off her face and trying to relax her a little. Gratefully she laid her head back as he paid close attention to her face, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again and glancing at him.

"I love you, but this is ridiculous. Next child _you_ get to give birth," her statement ended in a grunt as a new wave of contractions came over her and she shut her eyes tightly. He chuckled lightly.

"And miss watching the most amazing moments of my life? Never," he leaned close after she regained control of herself and snorted in derision at his comment. "You have never been more beautiful than you are right now, carrying my son and readying to bring him into our world," he whispered into her ear for only her to hear. Tears pricked her eyes and she wanted to kiss him and slap him at the same time.

"Beautiful?" she said incredulously up at him. "I feel like a beached whale!" he smiled and kissed her forehead as Akiko finished preparations and shooed most of the servants out of the room, save herself, the healer and Fubuki who became a cat and sat by her other side, his paw resting on the sheet next to her in silent support. He didn't want to drain her too much by remaining a human while she was giving birth.

"Oh, Kami!" Kagome exclaimed as a new wave of contractions swept her small frame. Akiko stood with the healer at the end of the bed, observing the miko's progress as their son readied to finally show himself.

"Breathe, Kagome-san, you need to take deep breaths," Akiko demonstrated to her and she tried to imitate, each time increasing in speed despite Akiko's attempts at slowing her. Eventually she gave up as more pain hit her, her breaths now becoming groans of pain as her face screwed up and her eyes closed tightly.

"You're doing great, Kagome-sama," the healer told her, "ok, it's time. You need to start pushing," he informed her gently and she groaned, complying despite the waves of contractions wracking her small body.

"Push, Kagome, you need to push!" Akiko encouraged her mistress, Kagome's hand around Sesshomaru's was like a vice as her little body strained, each push accompanied by loud grunts of pain and exertion.

Five minutes passed. Ten minutes passed.

"Kagome, you're going to need to push harder, he's coming, but he needs you to help him get there," Akiko said, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.

"I'M PUSHING, KAMI DAMNIT!" she yelled. Finally, as though a dam had broken he began to emerge.

"Good Kagome! Keep it up!" Akiko and the healer helped the process as it went along, finally pulling a beautiful and fully formed baby boy free. As Akiko wrapped the child in clean towels, a huge grin on her face the healer took care of the remaining part of the birth process while Sesshomaru kissed his wife's exhausted face all over.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the healers shaky voice stopped him and he looked down at the foot of the bed, his stomach dropping at the panicked look on the healer's face as the little demon hurriedly grabbed a bottle uncorked it and kept working. "She won't stop bleeding," Sesshomaru's eyes snapped to his wife's face, now unbelievably pale as her eyes were rolled upward and her head lolled to the side.

"No, Kagome! Kagome stay with me!" he pressured her, turning her head to face him, thumbing her cheek gently. "Kagome?" she didn't respond, her eyes fluttered slightly, rolling around in her head. Hastily the healer came to her head and dumped the whole vial of fluid down her throat before returning to his post at the bottom, tossing excessively bloodied towels to the side before attempting to stem the tide of blood with a new one. Akiko watched in great trepidation after cleaning the newborn and making sure the silent child was breathing.

A few heart stopping moments passed as the healer worked furiously, applying herbs and creating potions, trying to slow her rapidly flowing blood.

Pressing his forehead to hers, Sesshomaru willed her to be strong. His wife could do this, he knew it. Her cheeks cupped gently in his palms he laid against her for long, silent moments, waiting for something to happen.

Abruptly she took a deep cleansing breath and the flow of blood seemed to lessen. Cerulean blue eyes fluttered open tiredly and he kissed her soundly, resisting the urge to howl in triumph.

"Sesshou…" she whispered and he stilled her with a finger to her lips.

"You have lost a lot of blood, my love. Rest, you will need your strength to heal," she nodded before turning her head, searching for her child. Akiko came over to Sesshomaru's side with a clean little bundle, smiling widely before handing the infant off to his father.

The healer excused himself now that the situation was stabilized, not wishing to intrude on such a tender and private moment. As he closed the screen he couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face. He'd never in his whole long lifetime seen a smile like that on his lord's face. Shaking his head he continued off down the hallway.

Sesshomaru gazed down at his son in awe before seating himself on the bed next to his wife and turning the little bundle so she could take him in her shaking arms, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks.

"He's perfect," she sniffled, "just like his father," she teased. A full head of metallic grey hair stuck out in all directions, almost hiding his twitching little ears, perched merrily on the top of his tiny little head. Cautiously he opened his squinted little eyes, gazing up at his parents with shimmering blue irises.

"Absolutely not, that hair is definitely your fault," she elbowed him as he smiled down at her before claiming her lips in a loving kiss.

"What is he to be called?" Akiko asked gently, taking out the family ledger, Fubuki seating himself by her side, purring madly. Kagome gazed down at her son.

"Keitaro," Kagome said quietly, touching her now sleeping son's cheek gently. Sesshomaru nodded his agreement to the appropriate name. Keitaro meant 'blessed.'

The palace was in an uproar of celebration once again. Sesshomaru remembered fondly the days _before_ Kagome had come along and turned his life upside down how quiet things were back then. Boring too. He much preferred it now. Tell himself that thirty years ago and he would have cut you down for being stupid. He grinned internally.

Everyone invaded the palace to bring their well wishes to the newborn and his parents as well as bestow gifts on the family. All those who appeared seemed to carefully skirted around the subject of the child being a hanyou and did not comment on the spritely little ears perched on the child's head. Sesshomaru had declared his son to be his heir and you _did_ _not_ insult the heir to the western lands.

Many of the youkai dancing attendance hadn't even known of the western lord's marriage and thus brought appropriate gifts for that as well. Many a jealous youkai female was hurried out of the palace to prevent possible problems, their congratulatory statements having been made. Kagome was kept under constant guard, even when Sesshomaru was glued to her side, which was almost every waking minute. He had even moved some of his considerable paperwork into their room so as not to be separated from his new family.

Keitaro turned out to be an energetic little bundle of joy, keeping his parents up at all hours of the night to feed him and rock him. He very quickly learned how to laugh, this was mostly Yoko's fault, and was soon known to be one of the most jovial children any of them had encountered.

"He's going to be just like InuYasha. I knew it," his father groused one evening. "This is the Kami's punishing me for treating him badly earlier in our lives," he complained as his son bounced in his lap, the smile on his face betraying the harshness of his words. Kagome smiled and sat beside her husband.

"Serves you right, Ice Prince. You were pretty mean sometimes," she grinned at him and he rolled his eyes.

"I was making him stronger. Coddling does no one any good," he replied, kissing his giggling and gurgling son's forehead.

"But it's ok for _our_ son," Kagome giggled right along with their child, making the child giggle harder.

"He got that from you by the way," Sesshomaru eyed his wife in mock disdain. "I never giggled as a child," he bemoaned and Keitaro giggled more before stuffing the sleeve of his father's haori in his mouth. "He got THAT from you too," smoothly he dodged her punch and laughed at her open mouthed indignation.


	42. Chapter 42

Author's Note: I can't help but feel like I could have done a better job with this chapter, but after tweaking it for an eternity... here it is. And here we finally are. This is the last chapter, their story ends here. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. It's been a long, LONG journey and many of you played a huge part in the evolution of the events within. For that I thank you. I wish some of my earlier reviewers were still reading, and if you are, a heartfelt THANK YOU! I almost gave up on this, but re-reading some of your reviews from years ago gave me inspiration to finish. Thank you all for sharing a large part of my life. This story honestly is one of the few things that helped me get through a messy divorce and a very dark time in my life.

Always look up and may I see you in other stories. :)

* * *

Chapter 42

Kagome and Keitaro sat in the gardens playing together, well mostly Keitaro ran circles around his mommy and Kagome patiently played peekabo with him. The tyke was barely a year old and was already using more complex speech patterns so Kagome spent all day teaching him new words and numbers. Sesshomaru hadn't been kidding when he'd said youkai children grow faster. But she wouldn't have things any other way, she loved spending her days teaching her son as he grew bigger. As the sun set completely over the wall, casting the gardens in violet shadows the miko caught up her giggling son and planted a firm kiss on his round little cheek.

"Let's go find Daddy, hm?" she asked him, not wanting to keep him out doors once the sun had set. It was starting to get a little cooler in the evenings.

"Papa!" he chirped merrily, bouncing his legs in her arms and she laughed, turning to head inside. Suddenly a familiar aura washed over her and she stopped, turning around. Yoko? Her aura was filled with pain and desperation and it was overwhelmingly strong, almost as if…

A shadow dropped over the gardens darker than that of twilight and Kagome's head snapped to the sky, a surprised yelp escaping her as she ducked into the doorway just in time to see the large demon form of Yoko come crashing down through the gardens, skidding until she hit the opposite wall, completely decimating the structure.

"Yoko!" the large demon was bleeding badly and large portions of the scaly body were blackened and singed. Sesshomaru appeared out of nowhere by Kagome's side and the two of them hurried to the quickly reducing form of the eastern demoness. The miko held her son to her chest protectively as the human shape of Yoko finally staggered out of the dust and debris, covered in battle wounds.

"Sesshomaru, Kag-" she about collapsed before Sesshomaru reached out to stabilize her.

"Yoko-sama, what happened?" Kagome blurted out, rushing to her friend's side. The lady coughed a few times, trying to catch her breath.

"The Seisenmin," she panted, "they came out of nowhere. The eastern palace is gone. All my servants," she gave a pained look and dropped her head, still breathing hard. "Everything burnt to the ground, I barely got out," Kagome noticed she didn't even have her trademark katanas with her. "They do something… something to all the demons in the area, we all were virtually powerless. Some kind of aura," she looked up at Sesshomaru desperately.

"They're coming here! They're on their way! It's like every human has risen up and is poised to attack! They're headed for the north and the south too! Whole holy armies armed with symbols, sutras and those swords. I tried to head north, but they blocked my path, so I headed here," Sesshomaru logged the information quickly.

"How far would you say they are?" he asked.

"They were right on my tail. They'll be here before night fully falls," she warned. As if on cue a commotion started on the walls, guards began yelling warnings and screams began to ring out. "They're here!" she whispered quietly in horror. Kagome turned swiftly.

"Akiko! Get Fubuki and return to my side, immediately!" the miko told her friend but Sesshomaru shook his head.

"No time, they are here partly for you, my love," Kagome's eyes went wide and she clutched her floundering son. "We need to get you out of here immediately.

"Where will we go? If they're attacking all the ruling lords at once then there's nowhere to flee!" Keitaro began to whimper, feeling his mother's trepidation.

"I will think of something, our first priority is to abandon the castle, get everybody out immediately," Sesshomaru whirled into action, dragging his little wife along. Akiko dashed off to find Fubuki and join them.

Sesshomaru began shouting orders to Sho, Daichi and his troops, trying to assemble some sort of defense when one whole section of the wall suddenly exploded. Kagome screamed and wrapped her arms around her son, turning her back to the chaos as debris few everywhere. She opened her eyes to find Sesshomaru covering his family protectively. Daichi sprinted along the destruction, barking orders for his men to assemble, already trying to form some sort of barrier against the holy men now beginning to swarm the new hole in the wall.

The miko's eyes went wide in horror as she watched them use sutras and auras to disintegrate any demon who approached them. These guards had become her friends and they now laid down their lives so the ruling family could escape. Despite the obvious danger Daichi and his men stood their ground, attempting to force the Seisenmin back with barrages of arrows from the archers perched on the walls. The screams of the dying began to rise in volume and tempo. With a firm hand on her arm, Sesshomaru dragged her from the terrifying scene, grabbing a spare blanket and covering her head with it as they moved quickly across the courtyard, sticking to the shadows near the castle walls.

Yoko and Sho appeared by their side as they moved between the castle's outer wall and the keep itself.

"They have the palace completely surrounded," Sho reported. "And I don't know if you've noticed, but I can't hear or move so well anymore," he said, sticking a finger in his ear as more explosions sounded around them and the shouts of anger and fear turned into shrieks of pain and anguish. Kagome tried desperately to tune them out.

"Yes, they are covering the castle grounds with some kind of aura that dampens demonic powers," Sesshomaru responded. "Gather some of your assassin squad and see if you can move to the location of the casters holding the aura and take a few of them out. Otherwise no one will make it out of here alive," Sho nodded somberly and dashed off with Yoko hot on his tail.

Akiko came running up, clutching the blade of Fubuki in her hands and Kagome sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank Kami you both made it here, Akiko," she said, refusing the outstretched blade. "No, I have to protect Keitaro, hold onto him, and use him if needed," Akiko nodded and slid the scabbard into her obi. Sesshomaru finished his analysis of the battlefield and the layout of their enemy.

"Unfortunately Sho is correct, they have us completely surrounded. They must have suppressed their auras in order to surround us so completely without any demon within noticing. With my powers dampened I cannot transform, use my cloud or my ball of light. However, Tōkijin is a sword of evil and does not appear to be effected by the aura. If I take out the wall it is going to attract attention," he looked to Akiko, "it is up to us to make sure Kagome makes it away safely," Akiko nodded somberly.

"No!" Kagome balked, we will all make it out together!" Sesshomaru interrupted the beginning of her tirade by cupping her chin.

"Nothing is more important than our son," tears began to prick her eyes as she stared up at him. "You are his last line of defense," he stared into his wife's eyes lovingly.

"Don't talk like that!" the little miko sobbed. Gently he kissed her.

"Now stand back and be ready to run."

The priestess Yui surveyed the damage. Flames had begun to lick the sky from within the palace and soon this one would join the eastern castle in ashes. The wind picked up, kicking up the black sooty remnants of many of the dog demon guard's remains bringing a triumphant smile to her face.

"Search the palace grounds, that witch must still be here. The entire western family must die, leave no survivors. Especially that half-breed demon spawn she gave birth to," she spat in disgust. Just then an explosion of a different kind rocked the earth, the blue of a demon's attack rose in the air on the other side of the palace grounds.

"How could he…?" her face twisted in rage. "Get over there! The western lord is trying to escape and where _he_ is so will be the witch and his filthy child!" a surge of holy priests leapt to her bidding.

A streak of white bowled over the attackers outside the walls, giving Kagome the distraction she needed to slip out unnoticed with Akiko in tow. Though his powers were greatly reduced he still possessed deadly combat skills and a massively evil sword that thrived on destroying that which was holy. Tōkijin drank his fill of pure blood that night.

Kagome's heart constricted painfully, only glancing behind her once to catch sight of her beloved husband as he began his beautiful and deadly dance of death, fighting desperately so she could escape, before plunging ahead and making a run for the woods.

Shouts rose in the night as Kagome's flight was spotted, the two women quickly slipping into the forests surrounding the mountainous castle. Never looking back she surged forward, sprinting for all she was worth, her breath coming in sobs as she tried to hold her son steady in her arms, the child unbelievably staying completely silent, clinging with tiny hands to his mother's robes.

Sesshomaru cut down mobs of priests and priestesses like they were wheat in a field. Cries of pain and desperation now rose from the human combatants and not just demon as the western lord laid waste to their ranks. A priestess managed to channel long enough to blast him with a powerful wave of purifying energy. The pink energy struck the taiyoukai, washing over him like water. He let his eyes slide close and shook himself slightly as a dog shakes off moisture before snarling, disemboweling the offending priestess before she had the chance to cry out in dismay.

Once sure he had done all he could he quickly turned and followed his wife, slashing down all those who trailed her in his attempt to reach her side.

Kagome cried out in terror as she ducked under a sword swing. Her priestly attackers had quickly learned that holy attacks still did not work on the priestess and that her demon follower was protected similarly by a powerful holy artifact so they resorted to physical combat. Her burden slowed her down and it wasn't long until they harried her steps. Despite their proximity she still plunged on, dodging and blocking when she had to, using a spell to harden her hand against any blows she had to deflect. Akiko had her hands full, attempting to cut down the multitude on her trail.

The group attacking the palace had to be five hundred strong or more. For humans their supply seemed almost endless. Suddenly Fubuki appeared in cat form and ripped the face off an attacker who got too close.

"GO!" Akiko yelled, "Fubuki can hold form until you're away and we'll try to catch up! RUN!" for once in her life the subservient woman commanded her mistress and the miko complied sprinting for all she was worth through the dense underbrush, branches and bushes clawing at her. The dual sounds snarling and growls as both cats pounced on their mistress's attackers filled the night as she ran, her blood pounding in her ears and her heart so burdened she felt it might crack. Slowly the sounds began to fade away, but on she still went.

The little miko had no idea how long she had run, but she didn't dare stop. Her lungs burned, her son whimpered against her and her muscles screamed in overuse. A familiar aura descended on her and she about sobbed in relief as Sesshomaru finally appeared just ahead of her. He let her sob against him for a moment before insisting they keep moving.

"Akiko and Fubuki!" she exclaimed looking back the way she'd come.

"I did not catch sight of either on my way to you, they must have been diverted," her wide eyes implored him. "I did not see the neko's body so she must have escaped. My love, we _must_ keep moving," numbly she nodded and they continued on long into the night.

"Sho," close to dawn Sesshomaru looked over to see the kitsune materialize beside them. He was covered in blood and small wounds and looked much the worse for wear, but he still held his head high.

"Most of your staff is lost, my lord. Daichi was killed in the initial defense of the walls. I did receive word however that Takehiko, Hoshiko and Toshi made it out of their ambush alive and are traveling south to meet you somewhere on the borders of Matsu's lands," Sesshomaru nodded pleased. "I have not heard any word from the southern lord though and Yoko disappeared during the fighting," Kagome suppressed a sob as her husband put a comforting arm around her.

"My lord, they had to have been planning this for years. To simultaneously attack all four palaces at once and force the retreat of the lords…" he shook his head and Sesshomaru nodded.

"It was our own pride that kept us from seeing this coming. The youkai lords must be much more careful and vigilant in the future, if we survive this," he glanced down at his wife briefly. "We must get to where Takehiko expects us immediately, before they suspect us of regrouping," Sho nodded and the three set out at an extremely fast pace.

After he had recovered sufficiently Sesshomaru transformed, taking Kagome and his son on his back, sending Sho off to find the location of the north lord and continue searching for Yoko and Matsu. His massive steps ate the ground and Kagome soon found she recognized the direction they were headed in. It would only be a short while longer before the abandoned battlefield where Sesshomaru had defeated Ken'ichi would come into view. Thankfully, her little burden had fallen into a deep sleep, exhausted from the desperation of the night before and Kagome cradled her son tightly to her chest.

As the sun rose to apex they finally spotted the legendary field. The appearance of a massive golden leopard, two thirds the size of Sesshomaru's form gave Kagome pause, but Sesshomaru's red eyes went wide in panic as one desperate thought was sent to him telepathically from the southern lord.

"_TRAP! AMBUSH! GET AWAY!" _the massive dog veered just in time to avoid a loosened projectile from a cleverly hidden catapult. Somehow, they had known the lords would come here. Either that or they dotted the countryside expecting them in any reasonable location.

Another holy army surged out of the tree line, headed straight for the already struggling Matsu and Sesshomaru with his burden. There was nowhere to go. They couldn't go back and face the army coming from the west. If the north had already fallen then the army would be marching already as well. To Kagome's shock Sesshomaru's whirlwind surrounded them and he placed his wife and son down gently, moving them in the center between his and Matsu's backs. Kentasu's began exploding into the ranks before them; the western lord was determined to thin their numbers before they became overwhelming. How did this group manage to rally _all_ the humans?

"MATSU!" he roared, "target the priestesses! They're the ones trying to cast the repressive aura!" a massive roar was his only response as Matsu lunged into the middle of the army where the priestesses stood, slamming, crushing and clawing everything he could reach, his body already covered in alarmingly enormous burns and cuts.

An earsplitting shriek filled the air as three phoenix roared over the horizon, diving down to attack the heavily amassing army.

"Takehiko!" Kagome cried happily, watching the red, silver and orange blazing forms of the northern family begin burning and destroying the casters so they could keep using their demon forms. Suddenly Kagome felt a surge of power and turned, just barely able to make out a line of archers now dotting the tree line, hidden just inside the shaded trees.

"TAKEHIKO, WATCH OUT!" she screamed as streams of arrows went flying, streaking the sky with purifying pink energy. Toshi almost slammed himself into the ground in a frantic dive to avoid the dangerous projectiles. Takehiko spun desperately away, flames licked the trees as he barrel rolled, almost catching his wing tips, but the silver form of Hoshiko didn't manage to move in time. A heartrending scream tore itself from her as several arrows caught her and she plummeted to the ground, crashing heavily through the trees just outside the battlefield. Takehiko barreled after her with an earsplitting shriek, disappearing into the forest to try and aid his fallen wife.

Only Toshi remained and soon the barrage of deadly arrows forced him to the ground in human form or risk following in the fate of his mother. A wall of fire heralded his transformation, deliberately strafing the ground as he touched down, leaving a trail of molten dirt and singed bodies in his wake. The orange haired youth screamed in anger and streaked into the ranks of the archers, furiously taking vengeance on those who had hurt his mother.

The battlefield began to close around them; the holy Seisenmin encircled them and pushed them back to back, battering the demons with their devastating holy attacks and auras. There was nowhere to go, and weakened by the auras the taiyoukai didn't have the strength to flee with their injured. It took an entire army of holy soldiers to hold down the taiyoukai. Sesshomaru still didn't know the fate of Takehiko and Hoshiko. What was left of the demon armies had rallied behind their lords, but the air was now thick with black ash, signaling just how many floated around them, purified.

In desperation, Sesshomaru detached himself from the fighting and snatched up Kagome, dragging the panicking miko, one last hope in his mind.

Kagome had no idea where he was taking her; there was nowhere to go… until she spotted a familiar stone ahead. Pulling her to him as they approached it he hugged her close and gave her one last burning kiss, placing a kiss on his wailing son's forehead too before grabbing her small wrist and forcing her hand against the carved stone.

"If you have any mercy left in you, Kami's. TAKE THEM BACK!" he shouted fiercely, his nose wrinkled and his fangs shimmered red from the light of the fires that burned in the forests around, as though he could intimidate the very gods into complying with his wishes.

"NO!" already she could feel the pull of time as her form began to become corporeal. "NO! SESSHOMARU NO! PLEASE!" his eyes were filled with such intense pain as he backed away, she could hardly bear it.

"I love you," he whispered as the forms of his wife and son faded away to time. Her last sight of him was as he turned, throwing himself back into the fighting with a roar like none she'd ever heard from him before. A keening sound like it was ripped from his very soul.

She felt as though her chest might crack open entirely as she screamed herself raw, hugging her son desperately to her as vertigo set in, blue enveloping them. Keitaro cried, upset by the upheaval his mother was experiencing, but she couldn't stop, she felt as though her soul was tearing in two, worse even than when Kikyou had possessed part of it. In the silence of the void she screamed until she couldn't and then she cried. Having spent herself all she could do was sob, nearly doubled over by the pain in her heart, she could feel Keitaro clinging to her and wailing as well.

_Not again,_ she sobbed pitifully as the ground solidified around her, the dingy light of the shrine house washing over her broken form. _I can't lose him again like this! My heart can't take it, I need him!_ She crawled over to the shrine stone and pounded on it with her hand.

"Take me back! DAMNIT, TAKE ME BACK TO HIM!" she collapsed on it sobbing, but the stone was silent. "No…" she sobbed, "no, I can't-…" her heart broke all over again. "I _need_ him, please," she begged.

Exhausted, having no idea how long she'd sat there sobbing, the wriggling and squirming of her son made her gather herself together once again. Gazing down at him through watery eyes her son's bright blue eyes looked back at her balefully.

"Papa? Where's Papa?" a heart wrenching sob escaped her and she hugged him close.

"I don't know, my little pup. But we're going to find him, ok?" she brushed his silky grey hair out of his eyes and he nodded, his little ears, flattened to the side of his head began swiveling around slightly as his toddler mind waded through things.

"It's ok, Mama. Papa's strong," he touched her hand gently, not understanding the severity of their separation and her eyes filled again.

"Yes, pup, he's the strongest," she smiled sadly and kissed his forehead, hugging his unruly head to her chest and rocking him gently. Realizing she hadn't fed him in over a day she finally took stock of her situation. It looked as though she'd never left at all, save her new appearance and the child. Her backpack still lay just where she'd set it in order to examine the stone so long ago, not even a layer of dust coated it. It even appeared to be the same time of day she had disappeared. A younger Kagome had to have been here only minutes before.

Only now, years later, did a memory float back to her, so long forgotten. A memory of hearing someone cry as she floated the blue void of time travel to the battlefield where she turned the tide in Sesshomaru's favor.

Snatching the bag up she rummaged through it, finally finding the car keys. Bundling him up tightly against her, unwilling to let him go even to walk out to the car she slung the backpack over her shoulder, severely missing the weight of Fubuki at her side, willing her tears not to fall again. She didn't even know what had happened to Fubuki or Akiko. They weren't present at the final confrontation. A sob threatened to choke her and she forced it back. She may have lost everything else, but she still had her son. As she stepped out into the golden afternoon light she glanced at her little car and realized she had a problem.

Keitaro would need a car seat.

Sighing in defeat she sat on the ground again and put her head in her hand, letting the tears overwhelm her once more. The weight of losing everything threatened to suffocate her and now, a stupid little thing like not having a car seat for her son nearly broke her all over again. This was just a terrible day. Keitaro desperately tried to get her attention, his mother crying so much upset him greatly, especially since he couldn't fathom why. Papa always fixed everything, why would now be so different?

The sudden sound of a car shook her out of her deep depression and she glanced down at her son worriedly, trying to see through her red, puffy, and watery eyes. This was a dead end, dirt road deep in the middle of nowhere. By the sound of it, the person driving it was traveling much too fast too. In alarm she rose to her feet, pulled the blanket over the squirming child's head and backed toward the shrine, glancing around, uncertain what was coming toward them. People in this world wouldn't understand what a hanyou was. Getting into the car would be almost useless with no seat to secure him in, save to lock them inside. _No one should be out here,_ her mind screamed.

A very expensive, dirt caked, black Porsche came skidding into the tiny little parking area. Before she could blink the door was open and a vision of silver and black stood there in the open door, the car beeping in protest that engine was still on. Kagome couldn't believe her eyes and she refused to blink for fear that he might disappear.

Standing there, with his mouth slightly open as though in amazement, was Sesshomaru, clad in a white button down rolled to his elbows, a loosened black tie, black dress pants and dress shoes, his silver hair spilling about him in his usual pristine waterfall.

Keitaro bounced happily in her arms, shoving off the blanket as she stared agape, tears streaming down her cheeks, holding out his little arms toward his dad.

"Papa! Papa!" still covered in the dirt and grime from their flight and the battle he had forced them to leave he had never seen a more beautiful sight in his entire life. Finally gaining his senses he closed the distance to his still frozen wife. Her brain refused to work and until she felt his strong arms encircle her and her son, his heady, intoxicating scent descending on her and filling her senses she refused to believe he was actually there. Throwing her arm around him she clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder and sobbed as her son practically climbed up his father's shoulder to cling around the other side of his neck. Sesshomaru's deep rumbling laugh filled her and she couldn't stop her tears.

"I thought I'd lost you," she choked, clinging to him as though her life depended on it. His hand against the back of her head held her against him as he dropped his own head to nuzzle her hair and neck.

"I had no idea if sending you back had worked," he confessed, his voice husky with long suppressed emotion. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here on time, I wanted to be here before you arrived, but I couldn't chance meeting your younger self," he pulled her back and kissed her ferverently, drinking her scent like a dehydrated man drinks water. Groggily her mind registered the fact that he spoke in a much more relaxed manner than she was accustomed and seemed very comfortable in the technology to which she was originally raised.

"You've been waiting all this time for me?" she asked when they finally broke their kiss. He nodded slightly, smiling down at her.

"What's four and a half hundred years to wait, right?" she giggled despite herself, hiccupping a little from crying so hard and he wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs tenderly. "And my son," he said, lifting her burden from her arms and hugging the giggling boy tightly. "I hope you understand, I had to chance sending you back," he pulled her protectively into his arm while his son sat in his other. "We lost badly and there was no good way off that battlefield that didn't involve a lot of bloodshed. There was no way I could have protected you and gotten all three of us out alive," she curled against him and closed her eyes.

"I left a few hours after a certain, college-aged Kagome had and followed the same route you took. I wasn't sure how long you lingered at the shrine before you disappeared, but I was some distance down the road when I felt your aura pulse and I knew it was you arriving," he nuzzled her hair. "Let's get you guys home and cleaned up, we have so much to catch up on," she nodded in agreement and let him lead her to the car, laughing when she saw the baby seat already in the back. He grinned. "You know I'm always prepared."

The car ride 'home' was spent catching Kagome up on all the things that had happened since she'd disappeared. The Seisenmin won the battle of course, but many demons actually did escape and went into hiding. Apparently there were quite a few caches of demon literature and artifacts that were never uncovered by the holy crusade and many survivors flocked to those sites and quickly went underground. Many clans were reformed and once again grew in strength, shrouded in secrecy. The Taisho clan was one such resurgence.

A few generations passed and quickly the humans forgot their demon overlords and even their own crusade fell into legend, samurai leaders rising and falling. Soon even their own history became dusty and faded to legend, but a demon's memory is long. Decades turned into a century or more and still they waited underground. Once deemed totally forgotten they began to re-emerge in small numbers at a time, however now in the form of humans. Slowly they began injecting themselves into human society and shaping events how they saw fit, unknownst to their mortal counterparts. The Taisho clan became a leader in pretty much everything they set their sights on, carefully fading in and out when mortality deemed appropriate. Over the years Sesshomaru had taken on many personas until the demon clans were fully integrated into human society. To this day, no one suspects that the higher corporations and more powerful businessmen are in fact some of the former ruling taiyoukai of the feudal era.

Ultimately, the Seisenmin's crusade was a failure.

Takehiko and Toshi lived, though Hoshiko sadly perished during the battle. Matsu was injured almost fatally but managed to pull through and was now the CEO of a billion dollar energy company. Yoko remarried and moved to America, taking up a position in New York with finances, though she was apparently making a beeline back to Japan, having found out that the time of Kagome's return was approaching. The eastern lady had found being in Kagome's vicinity but not able to talk to her upsetting. Takehiko was the head of a multi-million dollar insurance company and Sesshomaru owned pretty much every bank in Japan as well as some overseas, all under different assumed identities of course. Sho worked under Sesshomaru as his personal assistant and bodyguard as well as friend and confidante.

"What about Fubuki and Akiko?" Kagome asked him worriedly. He smiled at her while he drove.

"They made it out and immediately went into hiding. It took them some time to work their way to the Taisho labyrinth where we had gone to ground, but eventually they joined us."

"The Taisho labyrinth? I've never heard of that," Kagome interjected.

"Of course not, but you saw one of the entrance rooms. They're a network of tunnels that ran deep under the western estate. Remember that cavern I took you to in the gardens when we first spoke upon your return to the feudal era?" she nodded. "One of those walls is false and the tunnels stretch for miles, actually leading away from the estate, so it became a safe haven for us.

"While we were waiting for humanity to cool down Akiko researched a way to return Fubuki to a body instead of being bound to a sword. Because it was her fang that was used to reform him she was capable of using him almost as you did. Being a youkai she couldn't access his holy powers or his attacks, but he could appear in both forms without you being present. Totosai turned out to be instrumental in freeing him.

"In my archives Akiko discovered a spell to summon an elemental. They devised a way to alter the spell slightly and it forced Fubuki's soul from the blade and into a body of water they had prepared. The properties of his soul did the rest, reforming him an elemental body, exactly as he had looked before. He can no longer turn into a cat, but I don't think he minds terribly," Kagome giggled slightly at that. "They share an apartment down town and I must say, it has been difficult to keep the two of them from ruining everything," she looked at him curiously as he smiled. "It was immensely hard for me to keep my distance even having time traveled myself and understanding the importance of keeping time intact. Neither of them wanted to abide by that and I had to scold them more than once having almost revealed themselves to you," Kagome smiled.

"I'm so relieved you made it, even in college I feared greatly for you. The Seisenmin were ruthless in erasing demons from memory," she made a face and he smiled.

"Indeed. It was difficult to watch you searching so eagerly and knowing you wouldn't find anything. All our history was carefully removed and preserved out of the reach of destructive fingers," Kagome looked at him oddly and he grinned. "At the risk of sounding like a creepy stalker, more than once a classmate of yours both in high school and in college may have had a dual identity as a certain taiyoukai," she stared at him open mouthed before laughing.

"You really are a creeper!" he smiled lovingly at her.

"I couldn't help it. The love of my life was right there and I couldn't have her. I must say though it was a very trying time to watch you fawning all over my half brother during your earlier travels," she swatted his arm and he laughed again. "Would you believe there were two Sesshomaru's in your classroom in the exact same moment?" her jaw dropped as she stared at him. "I shudder to think what might have occurred if I hadn't become as amazing as I am today," Kagome sweat dropped. "Myself in the past couldn't even detect that I was there," he shook his head in mock despair. "Oh the foolishness of youth…"

"You were what? Five hundred years old? WHAT youth?" she laughed as he chuckled.

Finally he stopped the car and she gazed all around herself in amazement and fascination.

"Welcome home, my love."

* * *

The End.

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